Watsons Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle With Race for Wellness

Over 6,000 participants from casual and serious runners to fitness enthusiasts, groups of friends, and families joined Watsons Race for Wellness on Sunday, March 5. The event marks the brand’s enduring commitment to becoming Filipinos’ ultimate health and beauty partner. Watsons helps Filipinos achieve a balanced lifestyle through its holistic solutions, products, and services for every wellness and medical need.

There are many benefits to a healthy lifestyle. It lowers the risk of diseases, prolongs life, lifts the mood, and makes one look their best. This can be attained through a variety of ways: eating healthy food such as fruit and vegetables, lowering one’s intake of sugar, salt, and fat, and staying active.

**10K gun start: Reeling from the energy of the 21KM run, the 10KM participants are ready to show what they got.**

With the Race for Wellness, participants chose between the 5K, 10K, and 21K categories, all of which have surprises along the routes. Runners were energized by drum beaters and cheerers as they go through Pinoy-themed and Wellness zone obstacles. Apart from these, foam and water fest stations were also set up. “Kuya Kim” Atienza, celebrity endorser for Watsons Brand Vitamin B Complex, and Geneva Cruz were also spotted having fun while keeping up with the challenges. An awarding ceremony was held for all the category finishers who completed the race in the shortest time possible.

21K female finishers with their medals:
April Rose Diaz, Jocelyn Elijeran, and Ann Jillian Pulanco, the female winners of the 21 KM route, receiving their medals from Watsons’ Chief Operating Officer Jefferson Go and Customer Director Jared de Guzman.

21K male finishers with their medals:
Welfred Esporma, Alquiin Bolivar, and Genki Nakae, the male winners of the 21 KM route, receiving their medals from Watsons’ Chief Operating Officer Jefferson Go and Customer Director Jared de Guzman.

Welfred Esporma finishes first for the half marathon with only 1:14:51 on the clock.

Category	BIB No.	Winner	Gun Time
Female
21 KM	21955	April Rose Diaz	1:36:20
10 KM	10552	Saltanat Simbina	0:48:27
5 KM	52801	Princess Valerie	0:25:38
Male
21 KM	21301	Welfred Esporma	1:14:51
10 KM	10847	Alfrene Braza	0:34:20
5 KM	50337	Mark Angelo Biagtan	0:17:08

10K female finishers with their medals:
Saltanat Simbina, Gloren Merisco, and Chloe Mae Aclo, the female winners of the 10 KM route, receiving their medals from Watsons’ Chief Operating Officer Jefferson Go and Customer Director Jared de Guzman.

10K male finishers with their medals:
Alfrene Braza, Jomm Lacanilao-Gay, and Jose Fabito Jr., the male winners of the 10 KM route, receiving their medals from Watsons’ Chief Operating Officer Jefferson Go and Customer Director Jared de Guzman.

Alfrene Braza, the winner for the 10KM route, finishes ahead of his competitor by almost a minute!

“The fun run is one of Watsons’ many ways to wellness, with the ultimate goal of encouraging everyone toward a healthy journey of always looking and feeling their best. Good health is a right and is needed to lead happy and productive lives. It, however, requires effort and making the right lifestyle choices. Watsons makes it easier by making health and wellness products, services, and information accessible to all,” says Jared De Guzman, Watsons Director for Customer Division.

Medical Associations namely, Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV), Philippine Physical Therapy Association (PPTA), and Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) were also present at the event to bring their support and amplify the call for health and wellness.

5K male finishers with their medals:
Mark Angelo Biagtan, Jimboy Darred, and Enrico Salamero, the male winners of the 5 KM route receiving their medals from Watsons’ Chief Operating Officer Jefferson Go and Customer Director Jared de Guzman.

Cancer survivors from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) have also participated and raced for their continued wellness.

The Filipino’s health and wellness partner

Watsons is leading the way in promoting and providing access to holistic health and wellness solutions, expert care, advice, and a platform for health literacy. The health and beauty retailer accomplishes this through its wide and complete range of vitamins, supplements, over-the-counter or prescription medicines, personal care products, and other essentials. All these are available at affordable prices.

**Runners and their families, including children, are queued up in different booths to participate in fun games and learn about Watsons’ complete and wide range of health and wellness products.**

Customers can access these products through Watsons’ network of over 1,000 stores in the Philippines, all staffed by pharmacists and specialists qualified to give expert care and advice. The Watsons Health Hub is an online one-stop shop that offers subscription plans, laboratory and diagnostic tests, teleconsultations, and more.

Watsons also makes it easier to access medicines and other essentials. Customers can purchase and pick up their orders from their selected store in 30 minutes or less through Click & Collect Express, or receive it at their doorstep through the Home Delivery Express.

Lastly, Watsons also drives health and wellness literacy through information and education programs, in partnership with the DOH and medical associations.

Kuya Kim Atienza joins the stage to talk about his shared health and wellness advocacy with Watsons.

Photo by Mark Jesalva for Watsons Philippines

When asked about what’s next after Race for Wellness, De Guzman shares, “At Watsons, we recognize that health and wellness come in different forms, thus we strive to cater to various interests and needs. Today, it is about running, but in the coming months it could be about biking, dancing, practicing mental wellness, and the list goes on.”

Kuya Kim Atienza visits the Watsons Race for Wellness booths to greet runners and participants. Kuya Kim is the celebrity endorser for Watsons Brand Vitamin B Complex.

Photo by Mark Jesalva for Watsons Philippines

“This Summer, for example, we’ll be focusing on how Watsons can be every Filipino’s partner when it comes to their complete health and wellness summer essentials. There’s a lot in store that we’re excited to share soon. And it’s all in line with our goal to create an accessible and inclusive space for health,” he ends.

For your beauty and health needs, go to your nearest Watsons branch, visit the official website at watsons.com.ph, or download the official website on the App Store or Google Play. Visit the Watsons Health Hub for more health information and tips.