April 21, 2026
Tzu Chi receives P500K donation from Runrio’s Earth Day Run
By Joy Rojas
When runners signed up for Runrio’s TECNO CAMON 50 Series Earth Day Run, they didn’t just support the annual event’s call for environmental protection and sustainability; they contributed directly to the missions of the Tzu Chi Foundation, the run’s advocacy partner since 2024.
A portion of runners’ entry fees in the 1KM, 5KM, 10KM, and 21KM categories went to a donation amounting to P500,000, which Runrio Inc. race director Rio de la Cruz and general manager Andrew Neri presented to Tzu Chi volunteers at the Earth Day Run’s race village in SM Mall of Asia’s concert grounds on April 19.
“Congratulations, Runrio Inc. and TECNO Mobile Philippines, for the successful Earth Day Run,” wrote Tzu Chi Philippines Deputy CEO Peggy Sy Jiang on her Facebook page. “Thank you to Runrio for believing in what Tzu Chi Philippines does for the environment, for our scholarship, charity, and medical efforts. Your generosity will go a long way to further improve the lives of thousands of our beneficiaries.”
“We at Runrio, we’re fans of what you guys do, especially during calamities and your green environment efforts,” says Neri. “Last year, we decided to make a donation, so we’re happy that we were able to [bring it] to fruition so you can extend your generosity to others.”
Since teaming up, the premier Philippines-based sports management company and the Buddhist humanitarian organization have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship. Through Runrio’s expertise in organizing world-class road races, Tzu Chi mounted its Charity Run for Education, an event that sparked awareness about the foundation and its efforts to ease suffering through compassion and relief. The thousands of runners who joined helped raise funds for the studies of the 1,500 scholars under its Educational Assistance Program.
The Charity Run for Education was also where Tzu Chi was the first to introduce environment-friendly innovations like the reusable collapsible hydration cup (which Runrio incorporated in its last two Earth Day runs) and race singlets made of upcycled single-use PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles.
“In partnering with Runrio, they teach us a lot,” says Tzu Chi Deputy CEO Woon Ng. “It’s encouraging to know there’s someone who shares the same advocacy as Tzu Chi.”
For Neri, working with Tzu Chi has been an eye-opening experience as well.
“Loving Mother Earth, loving the environment, and most particularly, living a simple life,” he says of the lessons Runrio has taken to heart from its advocacy partner. “We learned from Tzu Chi that in this world, we do not live alone, so it's always best to share. That's why we came up with this donation to Tzu Chi because we believe that you guys can do more with our help.”
The Cebu leg of TECNO CAMON 50 Series Earth Day Run is on Sunday, April 26 at SM Seaside City. A Davao leg was held on April 12.
(From left) Tzu Chi volunteer Johnny Cheng, Tzu Chi Deputy CEO Woon Ng, Runrio Inc. race director Coach Rio de la Cruz, Runrio Inc. general manager Andrew Neri, and Tzu Chi Deputy CEO Peggy Sy Jiang pose with a P500,000 check from the Earth Day Run race organizer to its advocacy partner since 2024.
Over 15,000 runners spread across 1KM, 5KM, 10KM, and 21KM race categories participated in the Manila leg of Runrio’s TECNO CAMON 50 Series Earth Day Run.
Tzu Chi Foundation’s booth at the race village included a photo exhibit of volunteers’ environmental initiatives through the years, as well as block displays of the United Nations’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Tzu Chi Youth model clothing and accessories produced by DA.AI Technology. Founded in 2008 by volunteers and supporters of Tzu Chi, the social enterprise upcycles discarded PET bottles into durable textiles used to make bags, jackets, shirts, caps, and blankets.
Runners were invited to make eco-enzyme, a multipurpose, chemical-free cleanser that is a fermented mix of fresh organic waste (such as fruit and vegetable peels), sugar, and water.
It’s another Earth Day Run in the books for Tzu Chi volunteers!