MANILA – Some 4,000 runners participated in the first Open Government Partnership (OGP) Fun Run organized by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) at Quirino Grandstand grounds in Manila on Sunday .

The event, co-organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), aimed to raise awareness for open governance while also supporting humanitarian efforts.

The fun run served as a precursor event to the Philippine hosting of the OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting on Feb. 5 to 7.

The regional meeting will bring together government representatives, civil society leaders, and global partners to exchange best practices and progress on open government initiatives.

DBM Secretary and PH-OGP Chairperson Amenah Pangandaman emphasized that the ultimate goal of open government is to foster greater trust between the people and the government.

“Lagi ko po itong sinasabi, ang talagang ultimate goal ko lang kaya po natin ginagawa itong open government o bukas na pamamahala ay para tumaas po 'yung level of trust ng ating mga kababayan sa ating gobyerno (I always say this, my only ultimate goal is that we can do this open government or open management to increase the level of trust of our countrymen in our government)," she said.

The event featured distances in 3, 5 and 10 kilometers.

“We are very happy with the turnout. We have almost 4,000 registrants who participated in the 3K, 5K, and 10K runs. So, we are happy. Plus the fact that we were able to raise a sum of money for the PRC," she stated.

The funds will go toward supporting the humanitarian efforts of the PRC, including disaster response, blood services, and community resilience programs, according to PRC secretary general Gwendolyn Pang.

The event was also supported by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation. (PNA)