Bikers Brave and Bold
The country's cyclists tour Southern Luzon and Bicol for a cancer cause

The Tour of Hope is an international movement that bikes to numerous destinations in the hopes of raising funds and disseminating awareness about different health issues. In the Philippines, the Tour of Hope has chosen cervical cancer prevention as their advocacy. In 2008, the first Tour of Hope (link to TTOH 2008 report) began and covered 500 kilometers in Northern Luzon, coursing their way from Vigan to Olongapo.

The Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP) joined in the successful press launch of the event last March 10, 2009, which was held Casa Marinero, Intramuros. Dr. Cecilia Llave, director of CECAP, exposed the truth about the burden of the disease and the ongoing efforts of CECAP to prevent it. The cervical cancer survivors and members of the CECAP Support Group likewise joined this activity.


  The Tour of Hope 2009 with the theme XXX: Dare to Be Bold, spearheaded by GlaxoSmithKline, the Cancer Institute Foundation Inc. (CIF) for CECAP, Bravehearts, Creative Juice, and Campaigns and Grey, headed for the Southern Luzon route and circuited 500 kilometers from the National Capital Region all the way to Bicol in a span of 5 days (May 24-28, 2009). The tour had kicked off at Muntinlupa City and coursed through 5 cities namely, Tagaytay, Lipa, Lucena, Daet, and Naga before culminating at the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC) in Pili, Camarines Sur.

With the objective of raising awareness on cervical cancer and its prevention, doctors from CECAP conducted lay lectures at each pit stop, educating the people from those cities on everything they needed to know about the disease. Successfully, a total of 1,174 men and women were informed on cervical cancer. Advocates from Bravehearts and cervical cancer survivors had supported the cause by sharing their insights and stories, thus inspiring women from all over Southern Luzon to vigilantly step up and make their health their number one priority. Guests from the Regional Offices of the Department of Health and the Philippine Obstetric and Gynecologic Society (POGS) also contributed to the success of the lay lectures.


  The tour likewise highlighted by a number of prominent personalities, politicians and celebrities who agreed to bike for the cause. Senator Pia Cayetano had joined the Muntinlupa – Tagaytay leg of the bike tour, as well as Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro and Congressman Raffy Biazon. Tessa Prieto-Valdes with Mrs. Lara Villafuerte, wife of Camarines Sur Governor Lray Villafuerte had biked the last leg from CWC to Nato Port then back to CWC. Bikers from Tiaong and Candelaria joined the Quezon leg. Husband and wife tandem Ernie and Jeena Lopez of ABS-CBN, the all-female cast of Team David's Salon with David Charlton, the Candon Bikers headed by Vice Mayor Itchon and Team Polo Tri biked the entire 500-kilometer tour.

The country's very own Tour of Hope 2009 wins in the Philippine Quill Awards!
To see more photos, click here.