On February 15, 2026, Shannen Carreon ran her second marathon.
Tears accompanied the celebration, not just of the boundary-pushing feat, but of the sentimental pursuit that comes with every marathon the 27-year-old Magdalena, Laguna native runs in her lifetime.
The miles on her Strava app aren’t mere watermarks on an Instagram reel. They represent tangible issues that matter.
And so in the two instances she’s been able, Shannen raced and raised funds for causes close to home.
“When I ran my first marathon six months ago, I did it for children with asthma. That was deeply personal kasi I had asthma when I was a kid, and I never thought I would ever complete a marathon,” Shannen said in an interview with GMA Regional TV News, explaining how the younger version of her would’ve scoffed at the idea of running a full marathon.
Her second 42K medal was for period poverty– for the absolute fact that all women, no matter where they reside and what their conditions are, deserve access to menstrual health products and maternal care.
“For me, running became symbolic. It is about going beyond what you thought your body could do. So, [I am] using that effort to amplify someone else’s struggles,” she pointed out.
DIGNITY OF WOMEN PDLs
Why Shannen is a staunch advocate of battling period poverty can be traced to her early years as a student leader and public speaker.
“When I was in high school, I was a Girl Scout and I did a lot of public speaking… My teacher would send me to teach sa regions. That time, I memorized male-female reproductive systems and I would talk about female and male body parts, menstrual health, and then taking care of one's body saka SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Expression),” recalled Shanne. She raved about the jumping-off point of her advocacy like it was yesterday, speaking with a level of familiarity you’d hear from someone who truly ‘walks the talk.’
Since then, she’s become more active in advancing reproductive health rights and women empowerment in halls, on stages, and at forums– joining the enduring pursuit of gender equality and gender-responsive policies.
Period poverty, as it is, already poses issues only women face. Layers of aggravating circumstances, like the lack of gender-sensitive systems in correctional facilities, create a swirl of problems unique to women PDLs.
“It is basically the lack of menstrual products, or safe sanitation facilities. Globally, ang daming nagmi-miss ng school, work because they cannot afford sanitary pads. Kung wala kang 150-300 pesos monthly, menstruation becomes a monthly crisis,” Shannen explained.
They, alongside those from the low-income sector, bear the brunt because they’re forced by their circumstance to use “old clothes, tissue, newspaper” as DIY pads, thus increasing the risk of infection.
On March 20, 2026, Shannen led the distribution of feminine kits to the Quezon City Jail Female Dormitory. The total money she collected was enough to donate 672 sanitary napkin pads, 100 bottles of feminine wash, 330 bars of bath soap, 708 bars of laundry soap, 702 bottles of shampoo, 589 bottles of deo-lotion, 50 kilograms of powder detergent, and 480 tooth paste products for the women PDLs staying at the facility.
She also delivered a talk about menstrual health and dignity, reinforcing to the female inmates that being behind bars does not justify– knowingly or irresponsibly– the lack of access to basic needs.
“Leadership means being the last: the last to leave the room, the last to eat, and the last to seek credit. It is about a commitment to service— leading by listening and ensuring that those around you feel heard. Ultimately, true leadership is about empowerment; it’s not about standing above others, but about clearing the path for them to rise.”
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
A sincere upside about these efforts is the fact that Shannen is barely a stranger to social causes and conscious conversations.
She was a varsity debater for San Beda University (SBU) back in undergrad, and was its debate society’s president and team captain, where she honed her logic, rhetoric, and presence.
A community convener and good governance advocate, Shannen has led volunteer acts and organized development programs for vulnerable sectors.
Needless to say, she’s been in the same halls, and shared floors with many strong hearts and hopeful minds. And she sees this as a lifelong mission.
“I am driven by the belief that the least I can do is leave our little corner of the world slightly better than I found it. Whether it's within my workplace, my friendships, or my family, I recognize that life has become increasingly difficult. I feel a responsibility to instill courage in the face of hardship — to not only help where I can but to inspire a sense of resilience within my community,” she shared.
The fight for a more gender-sensitive and conscious society remains a long and uphill climb. For Shannen, this is precisely the reason why we must never stop.
“My hope is that we continue to challenge the 'micro' patriarchal tendencies that we often succumb to, whether consciously or unconsciously. We must recognize these moments and call them out, no matter how small they seem. I hope to see a continued surge in grassroots movements that support our most vulnerable sectors. By fostering an inclusive community and dismantling the macho-feudal systems that hold us back, we can empower every Filipina to take up space.”
Shannen strides whenever she is able, because she is able. Shannen acknowledges that privilege, and that’s aptly the reason why she is using what platform she has to be at the very least a “conversation starter.”
“When you donate to a run, you're not just giving away money. You're joining the miles. Every kilometer becomes a conversation starter. For me, running and doing it for women PDLs is running to make an invisible issue visible,” she said.
She hopes her advocacy-powered marathons reach a larger audience to remind that all women deserve living conditions where dignity is never an afterthought, and where safe spaces aren’t a silent tradeoff but a consciously designed concept they deserve.
