From newbie runners to season champs, celebrity sponsors to World Vision assisted children, barefoot runners to a team of fifty coast guards. A rainbow circus afro family. A running proposal. And inspirational ,barefoot, blind runner Aga Casidsid. All have come together with one purpose- to run for the children. Over 3,600  participants from different walks of life pledged their unanimous support for 8,000 Filipino children at World Vision’s first run “Towards Fullness of Life”.   

^{Coming together for the kids. A runner shares, "Ran 5k this morning in World Vision Philippines Run at BGC...it was a fun-filled and inspiring event... as one of the child sponsors, I'm more inspired to continue this advocacy after hearing success stories from former scholars... and hopefully, more people will also share our vision and help send the underprivileged Filipino kids to school."} 

Running 3k on her first run, World Vision Executive Director Elnora Avarientos shares, “We are continually inspired by individuals like you who share your time and resources to  make a difference. It is because of people like you that make the run and race to the finish line within our reach. And that is why we all race to a common goal, towards fullness of life for the children, families and communities that we work in.”

Proceeds from the run will be used to support children in communities assisted by World Vision. Through its Child Sponsorship program, World Vision ensures that children are given access to education, clean water, proper healthcare and programs designed for the wellbeing of children.

^{63 World Vision assisted children from Bicutan were treated to the run by World Vision celebrity sponsor Derek Ramsay. The students dominated all of the 500m categories.}

World Vision Director of Public Engagement, Filomena Portales shares, “We are thankful for those who have supported the cause for the children. There is still so much that needs to be done and we look forward to working with our partners from the LGU’s, donors, celebrity endorsers, child sponsors and local communities to make the fullness of life for more Filipino children a reality.”  

As a child-focused organization, World Vision in partnership with Coach & Kids provided children participants a different kind of experience at the Child-Friendly Space. Here, children from ages 3-12 joined activities such as taekwondo, face painting, arts and crafts, storytelling and of course, they got to run! Most of the registrants included families including the Engalla family who won a special award for having the best costume all suited with rainbow circus afros. Patricia Engalla shares, "We had loads of fun participating and making new friends. Looking forward to the next one!" 

_{^{World Vision assisted children aim high at the Taekwondo clinic provided by friends from Coach and Kids Development Philippines, Inc.}}

World Vision celebrity sponsors have also pitched in their support for the children. Bossa nova sensation Sitti Navarro ran the 5k category. Actress and former beauty queen Miriam Quiambao overcame her personal record at the 10k leg. Child sponsor Coach Rio although suffering from slight fever ran 21k. He tweeted, “I dedicate my run to all the kids of World Vision. I hope we can help them by sponsoring a kid.” Running as a family is singer Jan Marini with barefoot runner husband Gerard Pizaras and their two children.  Gerard, along with other 21k runners guided blind runner, Mark “Aga” Casidsid through the 21k.

^{World Vision sponsor Gerard Pizaras helped guide blind barefoot runner Aga Casidsid during the 21k run. Aga has served as an inspiration for many of the runners and gave a glimpse of what fullness of life means by conquering challenges and difficulties.}

Also coming to cheer and encourage the runners were World Vision Ambassadors Sam Concepcion and Tippy dos Santos. To award the winners is health buff and World Vision sponsor, Marc Nelson who hosted the awards program with DJ Gellie Victor. Actor and child sponsor Derek Ramsay extended his support by sponsoring 63 grade six students from a World Vision assisted school in Bicutan.

_{She said YES! A happy couple gets engaged during the run! He says, "Five years ko na siya hinahabol kaya dito sa run ako nagpropose." The crowd responded with a unified, "Awwwwww"} 

The World Vision Run is part of World Vision’s 55th anniversary celebration. True to its theme: “Sharing the Joy of Hope”, child-focused organization World Vision, has been working since 1957 to uplift the lives of children in some of the country’s poorest provinces. Now on its 55th year, the organization aims to inspire more Filipinos to take on the collective responsibility of sharing hope and reaching out to help their fellow men in poverty. Today, World Vision assists more than 112,000 children and their families in 29 provinces.