“Thank you UPV Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Committee for seeing us through the pandemic,” UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano said during his short message for the awarding of winners for the Christmas Fun Run. The Chancellor was referring to the various events that the Committee organized for the past two years such as the virtual run and virtual walk, dance movements, and Zoom lecture forums on: the COVID-19 vaccines, self-care for mental wellness, understanding and managing the transition of menopause and andropause.
The Christmas Fun Run was held on December 13, 2022 at the UPV Covered Court, Miagao campus.
“I understand you are the only wellness committee among the CUs that are still active since the UP system introduced the program in 2013. The idea of wellness is more wholistic in approach rather than focusing on the physical or the mental aspect of our well-being,” he added.
The Christmas Fun Run was first introduced in 2018 by the UPV Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Committee. It has become one of the most anticipated events of the annual Paskua celebration of the university.
At the core of the event is encouraging the UPV community to move while having fun. This year’s event had two categories: Competitive Run and the “Rampa Run.” For the “Rampa Run” participants can wear any costume of their choice while racing. The criteria was 50% speed and 50% costume.
This year, the Committee added, “Grupo ta Ya,” wherein offices were grouped into team colors. They may either compete in the Competitive Run or the “Rampa Run while running for their team color. The team color with the highest number of participants who crossed the finish line wins. The idea is to invite and convince as many colleagues as possible to run together.
The winners of the Competitive Run are:
1. Rufino Tomaquin – 1st place, College of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences
2. Brian Sapinosa – 2nd place, Campus Maintenance & Development Office
3. Steven Mark Mosura – 3rd place, Philippine Genome Center Visayas
4. Ralph Reuben Mueda – 4th place, Human Resource Development Office
5. Alex Cayanan – 5th place, Philippine Genome Center Visayas
Tomaquin was the oldest participant at age 55 who bested runners much younger than him.
The winners of the “Rampa Run” are:
1. Apple Gray Deallo – 1st place, UPV National Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, dressed as Harley Quinn (Joker’s girlfriend)
2. Rosalie Piccio – 2nd place, Office of the University Registrar dressed as Cruella de Vil
3. Arvee Paguntalan – 3rd place, Library, dressed as Santa with Mrs. Claus
4. Jerico Oba – 4th place, Security Service Force, dressed as Darna
5. Ana Liza Subade - Office of the University Registrar, dressed as a cowgirl
Meanwhile the “Grupo ta Ya” was won by the Pink Team composed of the central administration offices for having the highest number of participants. Kudos to the Chief of the Supply and Property Services Office, Prof. Emeliza Lozada who motivated her staff to join and providing a pink shirt for the group.
Also awarded during the program were the winners of the last circuit of “On Your Feet UPV!,” a 3-part virtual walk challenge that started in June. The program was especially designed for office workers forced into a sedentary lifestyle. They were challenged to record as many steps as they can within the 8:00AM to 5:00 PM work schedule, thereby encouraging them to find ways to move and break eight hours of sitting. The 1st 5 employees that earned the highest number of steps for 1 ½ months were awarded cash prizes.
The winners of the last “On Your Feet UPV!” challenge are:
1. Ana Liza Subade - Office of the University Registrar
2. Lilibeth Ellorquez – Accounting Office
3. Thez Flores Yu – Accounting Office
4. Nelce Taleon - Accounting Office
The UPV Healthy Lifestyle Committee are always thinking of and coming up with activities that will continue to encourage the UPV community to pursue a life of wellness and a healthy lifestyle.
