Philippine Veterans Bank to hold ‘Ride for Valor’
IMAGE FROM PHILIPPINE VETERANS BANK
AS IT TURNS 30 years, the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) is set to hold a so-called “Ride for Valor.” The “non-competitive bike ride” will happen on Aug. 28 as a tribute to the Filipino soldiers who defended the country against Japanese forces during World War II.
PVB Vice-President for Communications Mike Villa-Real shared in a release that the event was supposed to be held last April, but due to pandemic restrictions and the elections, it has been postponed to Aug. 28 to coincide with National Heroes Day. The activity is also meant to celebrate the bank’s 30th anniversary.
“Through this event, we commemorate the unsung and unknown heroes of World War II and the Bataan Death March who bravely fought and sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom,” he said.
The bike ride aims to raise funds for the Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME), a nongovernment organization that maintains the kilometer markers of the Bataan Death March from Mariveles, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac.
Some 80,000 Filipino and American soldiers and prisoners of war were forced by the Japanese military to march 69 miles from Bataan to Tarlac during World War II. Around 54,000 managed to reach the camp, with the rest dying due to starvation, dehydration, diseases, and the brutality of Japanese captors.
The format for the bike activity is Gran Fondo or “Big Ride.” Each participant will have a “passport” which needs to be brought to three checkpoint stops: Mt. Samat in Bataan, San Fernando Train/Water Station in Pampanga, and the Death March Memorial Shrine in Capas, Tarlac.
Each stop will have optional destinations such as the Stotsenburg Park near the Clark Parade Grounds, and the Bamban Museum of History in Tarlac, where participants will receive their ride kits.
Mr. Villa-Real said a 12-hour cutoff will be implemented during the event, and participants may finish the entire route or join along the stops. “There will be a mechanic to help those who will experience mechanical issues, and roving marshals (will be present) to monitor the progress of the participants. Support vehicles are allowed, but participants should not ride the vehicle unless they decide to withdraw from the bike ride.”
Those interested in joining the bike ride may register online at bit.ly/RideforValor2022 and pay P550 per individual and P2,100 per group of five. Only bikes with brakes are allowed in the event, and participants must be fully vaccinated. Each participant will be given a bib number, a bike sticker, an event shirt, a loot bag, and commemorative patches on the day of the event.
PVB is a commercial bank owned by World War II veterans and their families. As part of its charter, PVB allocates 20% of its annual net income for the benefit of its shareholders.
For more information, visit www.veteransbank.com.ph and bit.ly/FB_RideforValor2022.
