Energizer Night Race hopes to turn on the lights for Filipinos without electricity

Run and have fun while helping light the lights for Filipinos without access to electricity.

This in a nut-shell was the message of Energizer officials during Wednesday's launching of the 5th Energizer Night Race Manila, at the company's headquarters in Ortigas.

"Fifteen million Filipinos do not have access to electricity and we at Energizer want to be part of helping these communities," said Energizer marketing manager Cara Tecson, about the advocacy-oriented night race which will be held inside the Bonifacio Global City on May 4, 2013, in cooperation with GMA Network.

"Our theme for this year is Race for a Brighter World," added Energizer brand manager Joan Frances Mendoza. "And we want this to be as fun as the first four held in the country. This is going to be an event for the whole family.

"We have a tie-up with One Million Lights Philippines to help provide light to Filipino communities without access to electricity,"  Mendoza went on to explain, adding that last April 13, her company donated 300 solar lights to families chosen as beneficiaries by One Million Lights in Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal.

Mendoza also said that on April 21 to 22, Energizer and One Million Lights will visit Mangyan communities in Oriental Mindoro to donate solar lights to families chosen to receive the equipment.

"We do not choose the families, that is the role of One Million Lights, but we work with them so that the equipment we donate will go to families which need the equipment most," Todd Montgomerie, Energizer Philippines Manager Director, pointed out.

Montgomerie explained that the amount of equipment which his company will donate will not be based on the number of participants who will sign up for the race. Instead, they will be pledging a specific amount that the company has committed to. He even added that the number of participants is limited to 3,000 to ensure security and safety during the race.

"Our tie-up with One Million Lights is part of our social responsibility," Montgomerie added. "But we want people to experience what LED light is and how you use it in real life.

"It is about quality of light. Safe for the environment, durable and efficient."

The Energizer Night Races, through the company's "That's Positivenergy" campaign, have been held in 20 different countries including Canada, United States, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, Greece, Mexico and Ecuador.

According to Montgomerie, through this campaign and the tie-up with One Million Lights, Energizer has donated 23 million hours of light by distributing Energizer Solar-Powered LED flashlights and lamps to different remote communities in Latin America, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines.

And through the Energizer Night Race for a Brighter World, the company hopes to raise awareness of the company's pledge to donate 13 million hours of light to off-grid communities around the world.

Energizer is also continuing its effort to donate hearing aids and Energizer hearing aid batteries through the GMA Kapuso Foundation.

Registration is ongoing and will end on April 30. For those who opt to run in the 5k event, registration is pegged at P700 and P800 for the 10k run. Those who wish to register can visit www.energizerbatteries.com.ph/NightRace. - AMD, GMA News