We often hear about climate change. This is such a broad topic that one would normally say “yeah, okay… but how can we help?”. It’s too broad to comprehend that we feel that we cannot do anything that ‘significant’ for us to make any difference. But one person went beyond this mindset and his name is Coach Bobby del Castillo.

The idea of the South Pole Expedition 2010 was initially hatched by Coach Bobby del Castillo and given flesh by the Climate Changers with the vision of capturing the imagination and hearts of most Filipinos; that is, to do something extraordinarily, like having a Filipino hike to the South Pole’s center with the mission to dramatically deliver the prayer petitions of the Filipino nation on Climate Change to the world, and an attempt to beat the world record in 32 days.

So, why the South Pole?

The South Pole is the scene where Climate Change is most evident and dramatic. While it is desolate and subject to intense weather conditions, it hosts the biggest ozone hole and 90% of the world’s glacial ice; putting these two qualities together equates to glacial retreat and sea-level rise. The ice lost since 1998 from the Wilkins Ice Shelf alone totals more than 4,000 square kilometers, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island (Ferrigno et al, 2009, Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Palmer Land area,Antarctica: 1947–2009: US Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series Map I–2600–C, 1 map sheet, 28-p. text).

And why prayer petitions?

Since much of our generated power is from renewable sources, the Philippines leans towards eco-friendliness. In the scheme of world events, the Philippines unfortunately hardly has a say in changing climate (except for the Mount Pinatubo event that decreased global temparature). We, however, are a prayerful nation and have the legacy and experience of EDSA I as testimony. That together, we prayed for and summoned Divine Intervention, staving off wholesale violence. If we did it for EDSA I, why not for Climate Change, through our individual prayer petitions? All one needs to do is to simply log on at www.lifex.ph and submit his prayer petition.

Milestones of the South Pole Expedition 2010
Project:
1. Benefit Concert: June 26, 2010, Saturday 7PM at the Discovery Suites’ Frontage (ADB Ave from Julia Vargas St. to Opal St. will be closed)
2. OCAI Run – Inaugural Fun Run for the humanitarian projects of the Rotary Club of Ortigas Center and the South Pole Expedition 2010: June 27, 2010, Sunday 5AM at the Exchange Road, Ortigas
3. September: New Zealand Cross Country Skiing and Acclimatization Training
4. October: Send-off party for the Expedition
5. November-December: South Pole Expedition Proper

Details of the Run:

The Rotary Club of Ortigas and Balance Lifestyle bring you OCAI RUN, an Inaugural fun run for humanitarian projects and south pole expedition. This will be on June 27, 2010.

Registration for the run is from April 30, 2010 to June 20, 2010 at all Mizuno Stores. Fee is at Php 400 for all distances, 3K, 5K and 10K.

During the day of the race, registration will start at 4:00am. The race will start at 5:00 am for 10K, 5:15 am for 5K and 5:30am for 3K. Starting line will be in front of the Philippine Stock Exchange Building (Ortigas Center, Pasig).

Register now and make a difference!