CALD Runs For Freedom

Members of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) Secretariat joined more than 3000 runners in Freedom Run by the Lake last 21 October 2012 at Laguna Lake in Club Manila East, Taytay, Rizal, Philippines. The event, jointly organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Philippine Office and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), was participated in by national government agencies and local government units supportive of Philippine President Noynoy Aquino’s good governance agenda.

“We are celebrating our freedom to run in a clean environment. Aside from showing support for anti-corruption initiatives, this year’s Freedom Run also touches on the issue of the environment. A portion of each participant’s registration fee goes to the continuing relief efforts to communities still submerged in flood waters since the strong monsoon rains in August,” said Secretary Neric Acosta, General Manager of the LLDA and CALD’s Secretary-General. “All our runners got medals that say ‘Freedom is a culture and a character.’ This is becoming true for the Philippines. More and more Filipinos are building a new culture where they are free from corruption and poverty,” said Jules Maaten, Country Director of the FNF Philippine Office.

After finishing their 3K or 10K runs, the runners were treated to a short program and concert with social activist Mae Paner (a.k.a. Juana Change), singer-songwriter Noel Cabangon, and concert artist Cathy Go. Cabangon and Go performed “Ako’y Malaya” (I Am Free), the theme song of FNF Philippine Office’s It’s All About Freedom campaign-project. See video of their performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmkutzKhOcc.

It’s All About Freedom aims to reintroduce and promote the concept of freedom as the key proposition in addressing the political, social and economic problems in the Philippines. Freedom Run 2012, with its calls for freedom from corruption and for freedom to have a clean and healthy environment, was certainly a step towards the realization of this goal.