Takbo Ateneo: Fun-Raising Run 2025 successfully unites Ateneans for wellness, service, and solidarity

By Jake Adam Malate Badong

Naga City, Philippines --- The Ateneo de Naga University community welcomed the dawn of November 23, 2025 with remarkable energy as the Association of Bicol Business Students– AdNU Chapter successfully held its first-ever Takbo Ateneo: Fun-Raising Run 2025, gathering runners as early as 3:00 AM for a morning of fitness, camaraderie, and service.

Originally set for November 15, the activity was postponed to allow communities time to recover from Typhoon Uwan. This delay, however, only strengthened the spirit of the event. In response to the continuing needs of affected families, ABBS-AdNU also set up a donation booth, enabling participants to contribute goods and essentials for those still rebuilding after the storm. This added dimension transformed the run into a meaningful act of collective compassion.

With the theme “Igniting Change, One Run at a Time”, the event brought together students, alumni, families, fitness enthusiasts, and partner organizations in a vibrant display of school spirit and community involvement. The program commenced at 4:30 AM, followed by staggered gun starts for the 10KM, 5KM, and 3KM categories around the Ateneo de Naga campus belt and surrounding routes.

Designed as both a wellness initiative and a fundraising effort, the run aimed to support ABBS-AdNU’s upcoming projects. Participants enjoyed a dynamic warm-up session, smooth and well-secured race routes, hydration stations, and on-site medical assistance through the Ateneo College Red Cross Youth, with coordination from the City Health Office and the Public Safety Office of Naga, ensuring safety throughout the morning.

Top finishers in each distance category were awarded cash prizes, gift certificates, and medals, while all runners received race kits including event shirts, bibs, and meals. Beyond promoting physical fitness, the event embodied the Ignatian value of cura personalis— care for the whole person— as runners embraced both wellness and solidarity in support of meaningful student-led initiatives and ongoing recovery efforts for typhoon-affected communities.

Takbo Ateneo: Fun-Raising Run 2025 marks a compelling beginning for what ABBS-AdNU’s hopes will become an annual tradition— one where every stride contributes not only to personal growth, but also to a greater purpose shared by the entire Ateneo community.