"Gerald is a simple and humble guy with strong legs and a big heart!"
-Jovie "The Baldrunner" Narcise, 2014, Race Organizer/Director BDM 102K/160K
PRESS RELEASE
Filipino Ultramarathon Runner to Donate His Run in Araw ng Kagitingan Day
NEW YORK, NY -- Gerald Tabios, the Filipino ultramarathon runner who has had made a record 6 runs in the world’s toughest footrace -- the annual 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, California -- is on a mission to honor his heritage and the Philippines’ annual national observance of the Day of Valor (officially known as Araw ng Kagitingan in Tagalog).
To commemorate this Philippine national observance held every year on April 7, Gerald has signed up with the Philippine Consulate of New York’s Araw ng Kagitingan’s 102-kilometer virtual run. The Consulate invites the public to join a virtual run to be completed for 37 days (April 7 to May 14, 2022).
With his run, Gerald aims to give back to his community in 4 ways:
He will complete the run not in 37 days but in a mere 48 hours
He will coincide his run in an actual race called 3 Days at the Fair in Augusta, New Jersey, from May 13, 9 am to May 15, 9 am
He will donate $1 for every 1 kilometer he passes after completing 102 kilometers or 65 miles to a special cause spearheaded by the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (Filvetrep) founded by Major General Antonio Mario Major General Taguba (retired)
Gerald also invites everyone to match his challenge. He is inviting every person to donate $1 to Filvetrep on this page https://filvetrep.org/donate/ for every kilometer he passes after completing the initial 102 kilometers he plans to finish
So far, Major General Taguba has awarded 3,000 medals to a Filipino veteran at no cost to the veteran, their spouse, or their next of kin, in 84 award ceremonies held across the United and the Philippines. However there are more than 10,000 living veterans who have not yet been recognized for their sacrifices.
Since 2018, Major General Taguba has been going around the US to honor these surviving veterans of the fall of Bataan and World War II. His father was a Philippine Scout who fought for the US in World War II and survived the infamous 1942 Bataan Death March.
The Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan) commemorates the fall of Bataan to Japanese troops on April 9, 1942. To avoid it from coinciding with Maundy Thursday, a holy day for the predominant Catholic country, the Philippines observes this day on April 7 instead.
The significance of the distance, 102 kilometers, is about the infamous 140-kilometer (87 miles) Bataan Death March to Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac of prisoners of war. En route, thousands died from dehydration, heat prostration, untreated wounds and wanton execution by the Japanese soldiers at the time.
Only some 54,000 of the 76,000 prisoners (66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 American) reached their destination.
“I am not associated with Filvetrep or Major General Taguba (retired), but I admire Major General Taguba’s efforts to honor Filipino soldiers who fought side by side with American soldiers during World War II,” Gerald said.
Gerald thinks that if he can run in the world’s toughest 135-mile foot race six times, he hopes that his run for Araw ng Kagitingan will be more meaningful as he wishes it to be.
For more information about Philippine Consulate of New York’s Araw ng Kagitingan 102-kilometer virtual run: https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/NewYork/1stKagitinganRun
For more information about Gerald, please visit http://www.geraldtabios.com/. For his planned run at Augusta, NJ visit https://sites.google.com/site/njtrailseries/fair. Gerald has also been the subject of an hour-long documentary titled Running for Freedom: My Journey as an UltraMarathon Runner, which can be viewed on this link: https://bit.ly/3wK3D40.
For more information about Filvetrep, contact https://filvetrep.org/
July 2014
On July 23, 2014 I was able to raise the amount of $1,200 for the charity through the US Fund for UNICEF which will ultimately be used in the rehabilitation/rebuiding of the damage structures brought about by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in Leyte and Samar.
GERALD TABIOS-wrote -
June 2014
I am Gerald Tabios. A loving husband and a father of two. I am also a runner. An ultra runner. or as others, put it, an ultra marathoner.
On July 21-23, 2014, together with 98 runners across the world, I will be taking part in the 37th anniversary edition of the Badwater 135 in Lone Pine, CA. Recognized globally as "the world's toughest foot race," this legendary event pits up to 100 of the world's toughest athletes—runners, triathletes, adventure racers, and mountaineers—against one another and the elements. Covering 135 miles (217km) non-stop over the most epic terrain imaginable and finishing at the end of the road on Mt. Whitney. It is the most demanding and extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet.
It has always been my belief that it is not right to ask others to help me pay my particular adventures. It is precisely of this that I am shouldering the entire cost of such undertaking from our personal family income (mine and my wife's). Which extends to the travel expenses, van rentas, hotels, equipment etc.. But I am very thankful that my friend Kat Bermudez, together with my brother, Glen Tabios, are assisting me by coming and crewing for me. Like most of the Badwater competitors, I believe that this feat is of great importance and a chance to collaborate with a charity.
Thus, I will be running the 2014 Badwater 135 with two goals in mind:
1. To finish the race in the prescribed cut-off time of 48 hours. And,
2. To raise money for the victims of typhoon Haiyan.
As most of us know, Typhoon Haiyan, known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, which devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, on November 8, 2013.It is the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record, killing at least 6,268 people in that country alone. Haiyan is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall, and unofficially the strongest typhoon ever recorded in terms of wind speed. As of January 2014, bodies were still being found.
Aside from the lives lost and as resilient as the Filipino people are, rebuilding of homes, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure are still continuing. As a Filipino myself, the second to join the Badwater 135 mile race and the first to conquer this new terrain, I have chosen to help the victims of typhoon Haiyan and make it my charitable mission.
To all my friends, relatives, fellow runners, and everyone who are willing and able, would greatly appreciate any amount you will donate. Thank you for considering your interest, support and time.
Sincerely,
Gerald Tabios
Click the link below to view the charity web:
CHARITY WEBSITE - CROWDRISE
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| Check paid to US Fund for UNICEF |
Total Funds Raise:
US $ 705.00 (Through the online fundraising website, Crowdrise)
US $ 500.00 (Check to U.S. Fund to UNICEF)
US $ 1,205.00 Total