April 28, 2025
Less trash, more commitment to care for the planet at Runrio’s 2025 Earth Day Run
By Joy Rojas
In only its second year as the advocacy partner of RunRio’s Galaxy Earth Day Run, Tzu Chi Philippines has already made a mark on the annual road race that calls attention to the importance of caring for our environment.
At this year’s edition held on the morning of April 27 at the SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, routes for the 5K, 10K, and 21K categories were virtually free of the thousands of single-use plastic and paper cups that runners discard after drinking. This time, participants hydrated with their own reusable collapsible cups, an innovation introduced in 2024 by Tzu Chi during its first Charity Run for Education.
Tzu Chi Deputy CEO Woon Ng was also pleased to see volunteers “were not as busy” collecting trash from segregated bins located around the race village. It’s an indication that either people knew where to throw their garbage, or didn’t have much to throw. Though discarded banana peels slightly increased from 242 kilograms in 2024 to 251 kilograms this year, the amount of garbage bags containing PET bottles, assorted paper and plastics, and other trash was visibly less.
All will be brought to Tzu Chi’s recycling center where they will be sorted, cleaned, recycled, or upcycled. The banana peels will be turned into compost or included into the ingredients of the multipurpose chemical-free cleanser and fertilizer, bio-enzyme.
“We always say that the advocacy partner is the heart of what we do for Earth Day Run,” says Andrew Neri, general manager of Runrio, Inc. “We are amazed with Tzu Chi and the volunteers. What you do is really amazing and inspiring. We hope that in our own little way, through this platform, we're able to inspire, motivate, and encourage others to do the same.”
For a number of runners, joining a run that pushes for the preservation of the planet’s natural resources is just one of their many environmental practices. Ley Ortiz Ligsay, who ran 21K, is part of Sunectrix, a solar PV (photovoltaic) business in his native Paoay, Ilocos Norte. The company installs homes with solar panels, harnessing the sun’s natural light and converting it into electricity.
“Activities like the Earth Day Run show that organizers and runners have a social responsibility,” he says. “We shouldn’t just think of ourselves but of the next generation. In that way, we become better stewards of our world.”
Leon and Love Abatay needed little convincing to purchase a floor mat and pet bed from Tzu Chi’s Waste to Wonder line of upcycled products. Apart from supporting locally made brands, the 10K runners were impressed at how Tzu Chi’s quality creations were handwoven out of excess sport sock material.
As for their environmental-friendly practices, the Abatays advocate the “reuse-reduce-recycle” principle. They segregate their trash at home and sell recyclables to junk shops, bring reusable bags and containers to the grocery and wet market, and drink out of tumblers instead of single-use PET bottles.
“You don’t have to be perfect in saving the Earth. You just have to be consistent,” says Love, to which Leon adds, “Think about the environment with every action you take. You don’t need to make a grandiose step. Small steps like bringing your own tumbler or a tote bag when you go grocery shopping has a huge impact. It’s a small thing, but it has a huge impact.”
Tzu Chi Philippines Deputy CEO Woon Ng concurs. “We always think these are just small actions. But if one can do it, 10, 100, or about a million can do it, this would create a really big effect,” she says. “This is what we call great love in action. Everybody has to do it.”
It was a sea of yellow at the runner’s village as participants of Runrio’s Galaxy Earth Day Run 2025 took selfies at the photo wall and mingled around sponsor booths.
Among the celebrities who joined the 5K category of this year’s Earth Day Run was Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray (bib number 56440).
Runrio’s Galaxy Earth Day Run 2025 participants wave their collapsible hydration cups. The innovation was introduced by Tzu Chi Philippines in its first Charity Run for Education in 2024.
Tzu Chi volunteers and staff pose with their finisher’s medals.
At the Tzu Chi Foundation booth, Tzu Chi Youth promote the foundation’s missions and its upcoming Charity Run for Education.
A runner tries his hand at mixing bio-enzyme, a chemical-free cleanser and fertilizer.
Tzu Chi volunteers assist a runner looking at rugs and pet beds from the foundation’s Waste to Wonder Initiative. Many are surprised to know that the products are handwoven from the excess material of sports socks.
Tzu Chi Philippines Deputy CEO Woon Ng (first from right) talks to volunteers assigned to collect trash post-race. She’s pleased to know that the team was “not as busy”—a sign that less garbage was yielded from this year’s fun run.
A volunteer uses thongs to collect trash from designated bins placed around the race village.
Volunteers reach for discarded PET bottles and banana peels at segregated trash stations.
Trash collected from Runrio’s Galaxy Earth Day Run 2025 will be brought to Tzu Chi, where it will be clean, sorted, recycled, and upcycled. Banana peels will be turned into compost or included as part of the ingredients for bio-enzyme, a multi-purpose, chemical-free cleanser and fertilizer.
Andrew Neri, general manager of Runrio, Inc., expressed his admiration for Tzu Chi and its volunteers. “We always say that the advocacy partner is the heart of what we do for Earth Day Run.”
Bea Tresvalles (first from right) and her friends were only supposed to throw their banana peels when a Tzu Chi volunteer convinced them to turn the peels into bio-enzyme. “While making my own bio-enzyme, I'm so happy to know that I can change the world one peel at a time,” she says.
Leon and Love Abatay practice the “reuse-reduce-recycle” principle. They also support local brands and were excited to purchase a floor mat and pet bed from Tzu Chi’s Waste to Wonder product line.
See you all at Tzu Chi Foundation’s Charity Run for Education 2025 on July 20 at Bridgetowne, Pasig City!
Tzu Chi volunteers cheer after achieving their goals for this year’s Earth Day Run.