ALL foot races held in major cities need to be certified by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.
This is what PATAFA president Philip Ella Juico will ask when he seeks to have an audience with officials of the Metro Manila Development Authority, which gives out permits to hold running activities in the metropolis’ major thoroughfares.
Juico said this after two runners collapsed and died during Sunday’s staging of the 2016 Condura Marathon in Alabang.
They were Manases Alfon Jr., 38, who took part in the full marathon, and Major Arnold Lubang, 40, who was taking part in the half-marathon event.
Lubang reportedly suffered from cardiac arrest and collapsed barely one kilometer away from the finish line of the 21-km “Run for a Hero” Condura Skyway Marathon Run.
“The MMDA will have to coordinate with the PATAFA on the conduct of road races. We will follow this up with them,” said Juico.
Juico believes that for 42-km runs, 21-km half marathons and fun runs to be held in the future, a certification should be sought first from the PATAFA.
“We will take care of the certification so this will be part of the logistics and preparations for the races. This is to make sure that the runners will be safe, and the event will not be prone to accidents like this,” added Juico.