Filipina CEOs to topbill Women’s Month fun run

TOUGH CEOS From left: Aleli Arcilla, Cosette Canilao, Karen Roa and Riza Mantaring are all World Marathon Major finishers. —FILIPINA CEO CIRCLE FACEBOOK PAGE

Taking care of one’s physical health is sometimes less prioritized, especially by women, due to hectic schedules and numerous responsibilities.

To promote fitness and foster solidarity among women as the International Women’s Month approaches, Filipina CEO Circle (FCC), an organization dedicated to empowering women business leaders, teamed up with Women’s Run PH and race master Runrio to organize a running event on March 10 at the SM By the Bay, Mall of Asia grounds.

“I want to create opportunities for women, for us, to join together and shine,” says Nicole dela Cruz, founder of Women’s Run PH.

Launched in 2023, Women’s Run PH is a supportive community hub where women of all ages connect and uplift each other through running events.FCC and First Metro Asset Management Inc. president Karen Roa—also a World Marathon Major finisher—is one of the women business leaders featured by event promoters to inspire other women to flourish, whether in finance or personal goals.

FCC is described on its website as a “female network of, for and by successful career women who rose from the ranks to reach top positions in their respective companies.”

Other corporate women highlighted for being World Marathon Major finishers are: Riza Mantaring, former CEO of Sun Life Financial; Cosette Canilao, CEO of Aboitiz Infra Capital; and Aleli Arcilla, managing director at Mondelez International.

COLLABORATION (From left) Ambe Tierro and Karen Roa of Filipina CEO Circle, Women’s Run PH founder Nicole dela Cruz and SM Supermalls vice president for corporate marketing Grace Magno at the FCC Women’s Run PH launch held last Feb. 7 at Olive Garden,SM Mall of Asia. —ANDREA GREGORIO

“Something that we’re very proud of is that the organization showcases that if you do hard work and you have a good education, then you can rise to the top,” Roa says. Their collaboration with Women’s Run PH is seen as a natural fit since they encourage women leaders to keep moving forward and run toward a brighter future.

The fun run is copresented by SM Supermalls, the Philippines’ biggest mall network, which has been supporting various initiatives and programs to promote women empowerment.

SM Supermalls vice president for corporate marketing Grace Magno says, “We have a lot of women out there who run and it’s not just for physical activity. It’s mental, it’s spiritual, it’s camaraderie; it’s all of these put together.”

The fun run is divided into four categories—two of them are exclusively for women 13 years old and above. Beginner runners are encouraged to choose the 5-kilometer category, and for those who want to challenge themselves even more, they may register for the 10-km category.

The 1-km Kids Dash allows mothers to run side by side with their kids aged 3 to 12. Men (especially boyfriends or husbands) may also join through the 10-km Buddy Run, which requires a female and male tandem.