More than 1,000 runners in the inaugural 3-kilometer night fun run with a ‘bright’ twist called “RUNiag 2018” hit the street along Rizal avenue in Laoag City last February 2, 2014 which added highlight to the 196th Foundation anniversary of the province of Ilocos Norte.
With slogan, “Ilocos Norte Running for 200 Years”, RUNiag blazed a bright, innovative prospect for the bicentennial movement of the Province towards the year 2018. History record showed that Ilocos Norte was formally established as a province in the year 1818 when a Spanish royal decree declared its formal separation from Ilocos Sur. Both provinces were then under the single Ylocos territory.
“Runiag” event, glowed with brightness as it featured a night of fun where the runners were coated with non-toxic, glow water. The runners were provided with goggles, LED-powered accessories, and light sticks . They were also face-painted with glittery, glowing paint.
The run started in front of the Capitol Bldg. at 5:30 sunfall, with Governor Imee Marcos who personally signaled the start of the race led by Jesson Ramil Cid, a decathlete gold medalist in the recent 27th Southeast Asian Games at Myanmar. Cid was born and grew up in his hometown of Dingras, Ilocos Norte.
The member-rowers of the newly-launched Paoay Boat Club also joined the race and awarded as most energetic group.
Obstacles were installed along the route like crisscrossed colored garters, each guarded by a group of Sirib volunteers who pumped glow water into the runners.
The round-trip run culminated with the awarding of the fastest male and female runners, namely, Rizaldy dela Cruz of San Nicolas and Angel Guieb of Laoag City, respectively.
After the awarding, the province’s 196th birth anniversary grandiose light in front of the Capitol was formally switched on by Gov. Imee. Now on displays in front of the Capitol ground are the favorite crowd drawers depicting Ilocos Norte under three eras: Pre-Colonial, Hispanic and Present to Future. (Tourists say they are amazing and wonderful, especially with floodlights at night).
The Pre-colonial display features art installations of fiber-glass sculptures of a group of Ilocos Norte’s tribal hunters and a life-sized Philippine carabao known as native buffalo. Alongside are also a “kubo” or Philippine traditional hut and a collection of “banga” or large clay jars.
The Hispanic Era highlights the transformed architecture in Ilocos Norte as shown by the baroque buttresses of churches like the famous centuries-old Paoay Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Present-to-Future exhibit shows the vision of Ilocos Norte in its effort to attain a progressive local economy. All the displays are open to the public for sight-seeing and picture-taking activities.
“Ito na yung light up na pinakahihintay natin. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nakisaya,” Gov. Imee said.—(Grazielle Mae A. Sales, PGIN-CMO)
