Over 16,000 runners from various sectors joined the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Bayanihan ng Mamamayan Fun Run and Serbisyo Caravan held on February 26, 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia Complex.
The BIDA Program is a revitalized, country-wide, whole-of-nation anti-illegal drug campaign spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Pasay City Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano welcomed the participants to the City and reiterated her support to the BIDA program saying, “sana magmula sa atin ang pagbibigay ng magagandang ehemplo upang maging malulusog, malalakas, at ligtas ang ating lungsod at ang ating bansa.” Mayor Calixto-Rubiano further mentioned that the City is strictly and extensively monitoring its Barangays to be drug-cleared.
The event venue owner, SM Prime Holdings, represented by its Vice President for Commercial Properties Antonio Felix Ortiga, also expressed the company’s support in the fight against illegal drugs. “Kaisa ng DILG at ng mamamayang Pilipino ang SM Group sa pagtataguyod ng malusog na buhay at pagpapaigting ng kampanya laban sa droga,” he said.
DILG Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., in his address before the large crowd, encouraged everyone to participate in the campaign against illegal drugs, saying, “Lahat tayo may papel, sama-sama tayong mananalo sa droga. Tayo ay may spirit of bayanihan… it’s a run against drugs, it’s a run for our future, it’s a run that will say the Philippines is against drugs.”
After the BIDA Fun Run, Secretary Abalos formally opened the Serbisyo Caravan, where over 20 government agencies and telecommunication companies manned their respective booths and provided services to the participants present.
Serbisyo Caravan participants included: the DILG-NCR, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-NCR, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-NCR, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-NCR, National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM)-NCR, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-NCR, Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Plant and Industry (DA-BPI) and KADIWA, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-NCR, Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-NCR, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-NCR, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-NCR, PhilHealth, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)-NCR, Pasay City Public Service Employment Office (PESO), Maynilad, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and Public Attorneys Office (PAO)-NCR, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, and Dito Telecommunity.