“It’s up to urban development authorities to make Metro Manila a city where we can truly live healthy lives.”
About 4 of 10 Filipinos aged 20 to 59 are obese, according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute in a recent stakeholder meeting. Obesity and overweight rates are higher in urban areas and tend to increase in relation with wealth. Overall, government data show that 35 percent of poor Filipinos are obese, compared with 40 percent from the middle class and 44 percent from the wealthy.
These figures are alarming. In Southeast Asia, data from the Central Intelligence Agency show that the Philippines is fifth out of 10 countries with the highest obesity rates, with 9.3 percent of the entire population estimated to be obese. Vietnam had the lowest obesity rate at 1.7 percent.
Easy access to junk food and fast-food restaurants contribute to this. Wealthy people, in particular, have more resources to spend on cholesterol-rich foods and alcoholic beverages. It does not help that the common Filipino has a fast-paced lifestyle, which prompts them to rely on quick grabs at fast food restaurants and convenience stores.
This is why I am glad that the running culture has taken the country by storm. It is not merely a trend or an era, as what most people would say. Running is a lifestyle that contributes to the health of an entire nation. During the Manila Marathon last August 10, approximately 18,500 runners participated, proving how running has become popular and widely celebrated by Filipinos.
Additionally, in the recent State of the Nation Address, the president ordered the Philippine Sports Commission to open track ovals in Pasig, Manila, and Baguio to allow the public to jog and run freely. This is a welcome development, and shows that the running culture has left an impression even at the country’s chief executive level.
Car-free Sundays, particularly the one along Ayala Avenue in Makati, are another blessing. Since it started in September 2023, car-free Sundays along Ayala Avenue have attracted hundreds of Filipinos, both cyclists and runners. Every time I visit, it feels like the amount of people coming has constantly increased.
Cultivating a running culture, however, takes more than just organizing hundreds of running events, opening track ovals, or initiating car-free Sundays. We also need better pedestrian infrastructure, safer roads, as well as less-considered factors like cleaner air quality. All of these contribute to a better urban experience not just for runners, but even everyday pedestrians.
One study highlighted the “Healthy Cities Movement”, a movement that promotes healthier urban environments, health awareness, and community engagement. As more people move into cities, rapid and unplanned urbanization poses major health risks. By 2050, it is estimated that two-thirds of the planet will be urban dwellers, and 90 percent of the shift will happen in Africa and Asia.
We are already feeling the impacts of rapid urbanization in Metro Manila. Obesity due to countless unhealthy food options is but one example. While individual actions such as running can address health problems such as obesity, ultimately it’s also up to urban development authorities to make Metro Manila a city where we can truly live healthy lives.
If solving the Philippine population’s health problems consists of 10,000 puzzle pieces, the emerging running culture is but one piece. Despite this, it’s a lifestyle I can get behind in the long term — not just as an ‘era’ or a ‘trend’.
Ian Benedict R. Mia is a part-time lecturer at the Department of Management and Organization of De La Salle University (DLSU). He works full-time as a Sustainability Researcher at one of the top ESG Ratings firms globally. He can be reached at ianbrmia@gmail.com.
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.
Ian Benedict R. Mia is a part-time lecturer at the Department of Management and Organization of De La Salle University (DLSU). He works full-time as a Sustainability Researcher at one of the top ESG Ratings firms globally. He can be reached at ianbrmia@gmail.com.
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.
