1,000 runners rise from Yolanda’s rubble

LEYTE, Philippines – “Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) took not only our livelihood and all we had, but also the precious lives of our loved ones. Yet the faith, hope and dreams of every Leyteño never vanished. We rise again and continue to dream.”

This was the message of Vice Mayor Bolingling Reposar before a crowd of over a thousand local runners who joined the Freedom Run in Palo, Leyte on Saturday, May 3, 2014. 

The Freedom Run was a symbol for the region that is starting to get back on its feet. It is one of the activities in the “I Am Free to Dream: Balik Sigla,Visayas” movement.

Palo residents, including those in evacuation centers, lined up as early as 2 am to participate in the run. Banners expressing the resilience of Leyteños were displayed in the 10K race route.

Messages including “Life is still beautiful” and “To all who have extended their help in their own little ways, we will remember you big time” were written on banners lining the route. The run was filled with a lively atmosphere.

After the race, the participants listened to live music with singer Cathy Go, and celebrated with the run’s winners.

‘Free to dream’

“‘I am free to dream’ as a slogan for the event is very apt for us. We have bigger dreams now, not only for our individual selves but for our entire community that inspire us to work harder,” explained Reposar.

“The Freedom Run is a way to show that our people are resilient, and that through everyone’s efforts and with all the support that we received, we are restoring life to normalcy,” he added.

In the afternoon, school supplies were distributed to 300 children in six different schools. The kids drew their dreams on balloons and later released the balloons to the sky.

They also wrote thank you notes to those who donated notebooks, pencils and other school materials. “I’m excited to go back to school!,” exclaimed 7-year-old China Palacio.

The activities were organized by the local government of Palo and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), a German liberal foundation. Tree planting activities in Guinhangdan and building of transitional shelters in Mayorga – with 15 international youth delegates of the Council of Asian Liberal and Democrats (CALD) from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Mongolia – were also part of the Balik Sigla program.

“Yolanda devastated Leyte’s infrastructure, but not the spirit of its people. One of the most difficult things to rebuild after a disaster is people’s confidence to start over,” FNF Country Director Jules Maaten said,

Maaten added that the Freedom Run reinforces the message that things can go back to normal if one continues to dream and take up his own responsibility to achieve that dream

I am free to dream: Balik Sigla, Visayas! was held in cooperation with CALD, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection, I Am For Peace, Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance & Ethical Leadership, and Project 100-100-100. – Rappler.com