UnionBank’s U-RUN 2025 Sees Big Turnout for Charity
By: Martina Lucero
Last October 18, over 1,400 runners – composed of UnionBankers, their families, and friends – filled the streets of Arcovia, Pasig City for U-RUN 2025, a charity run that championed both fitness and purpose. What began as an early morning call quickly turned into a celebration of energy, camaraderie, and shared advocacy, as participants ran not just for medals, but for meaning.
Held under UnionBank’s GoBeyond Communities (GBC) program, U-RUN 2025 raised proceeds for the PGH Silahis ng Kalusugan School for Chronically-Ill Children, a special education center supporting young learners undergoing long-term medical treatment.
To start the day, participants were ferried to the venue via three shuttle buses from UnionBank Plaza, helping minimize travel hassle and ease traffic congestion. Upon arrival, runners joined an opening prayer and warm-up, accompanied by the parents of the beneficiary children. The parents introduced themselves and cheered on the participants, adding a heartfelt, personal touch that highlighted who the morning truly celebrated.
The run officially began at 5:45 AM, with runners setting off to cheers from volunteers and spectators lining the route.
Over 150 UnionBank volunteers, together with external marshals and partners, helped make the event a success. Among them was Nikki from HR’s Organizational Development, who manned one of the hydration stations. Between handing out cups of lychee electrolytes and cheering on friends by name, she described the experience as both tiring and fulfilling.
“It makes me proud to be part of a bank that uplifts lives and uplifts generations,” she said, adding that she went home “beaming with pride and contentment”.
The route itself was as lively as it was challenging. Volunteers waved witty and colorful signages that kept spirits high, such as “Run like your ex is chasing you!,” “Run na para bang may sale!”, “You’re doing great!”, and more words of encouragement that echoed through the streets.
Some of the runners’ creative costumes also added more energy to the course. The caterpillar trio – three UnionBankers dressed in orange and linked by a tunnel tube in orange, red, and blue that reflected the Bank’s colors – moved together along the streets, drawing smiles and photos from spectators. Other costumes included inflatable dinosaurs, inflatable aliens, an enchanting pink fairy, a vampire, a Snow White, and even a Manny Pacquiao lookalike, each bringing playful energy to the run and adding to the fun. Among them, the inflatable dinosaur group was awarded Top 1 Best Costume.
For Jessica from CESG’s Digital Engagement Team, running with friends made the experience even more memorable.
“I ran with my friends! We’re the caterpillar trio who ran 5K with Cher’s Believe and Janet Jackson’s Together Again blaring on speakers,” she shared. “It was fun and even more meaningful because it’s for a good cause—helping sick children and their families. We literally ran miles for smiles.”
Even non-UnionBankers joined the cause. Madelaine, who ran alongside her UnionBanker friend, said she was drawn to the event’s purpose and the lively atmosphere. “It was well-organized, and seeing people in creative costumes made it fun and inspiring,” she shared.
At the finish line, volunteers greeted runners with cheers, medals, and plenty of post-run treats such as free ice cream, sandwiches, eggs, taho, bananas, and juice, which they all enjoyed with medals around their necks and smiles on their faces. They also received exclusive freebies from MindNation, who earlier in the week hosted a wellness talk that helped equip the runners with the right nutrition insights to perform their best on race day.
Participants also took the opportunity to capture the moment with the UB photo booth and selfie mirror decals, celebrating their achievement and the fun memories of the morning.
For Jose Paolo of TBC’s Corporate Product Management, the joy was in running alongside his teammates for a good cause, with the podium finish as a welcome bonus. “It felt nice to do something active with my teammates and have fun together,” he shared. He emerged as the Top 1 Podium Finisher in the 5K category.
Event organizer and CSR Manager, JC, described U-RUN 2025 as both a CSR and employee engagement milestone. “Seeing UnionBankers, our leaders, and even parents of the beneficiaries run alongside their families and friends, some in creative costumes, made all our efforts worthwhile,” he said.
He also reflected that visiting PGH Silahis ng Kalusugan and hearing the stories of the children and their parents gave the team a deeper sense of purpose and inspired them to see the event through from start to finish.
“It was truly fulfilling to see everything come together end-to-end,” JC added, noting, “Next year, U-RUN will continue as a trilogy, with UnionBankers nationwide—especially from Visayas and Mindanao—joining the organizing committee to make it even bigger and more inclusive.”
More than the medals and photos, U-RUN 2025 was proof that it takes a village to turn purpose into action. Runners, organizers, and volunteers all played a part in making the event a success, coming together to support a worthy cause.
Through initiatives like U-RUN, UnionBank continues to show that when a community comes together, every stride can uplift, inspire, and make a lasting difference—proving that it wasn’t just a fun run, but a movement with purpose.
* Special thanks to our official photographers — JAPREELS, Quadraptors, Pitik ni Boyboy, and Random GD — for capturing the heart, grit, and joy that made U-RUN 2025 unforgettable.