Wellness News & Announcements

LGFI-Lifelong Celebrates WTT’s 5th Anniversary

Tuesday, 23 August 2011 10:20

“Wasn’t that a great walk?”

Hearing these words from Lopez Group Chairman Emeritus, Oscar M. Lopez was more than enough to confirm the success of Walk the Talk’s 5th anniversary celebration held last August 20, 2011 at the La Mesa Nature Reserve in Quezon City.

Despite the muddy trail and unpredictable weather changes, it was still indeed a great walk after more than 350 Lopez Group employees with their family members, friends and guests joined the 5.6-kilometer walk led by OML with his wife, Connie Lopez and son, Benjamin Lopez together with Lifelong Wellness Head, Raffy Alunan III, Lifelong Wellness Overall Coordinator, Louie Martin and Walk the Talk Program Manager, Rico De Manzana.

The walk started at around 8:00 in the morning and lasted for about two hours.  After the walk, the Group feasted on packed meals and fruits provided by ABS-CBN Corporation that sponsored the event.

While having breakfast, the traditional short program every anniversary was held to recognize all the companies and employees who have made another cycle of the Walk the Talk program a success.

In his inspirational message, OML expressed how proud he is about what the program has already achieved in the last five years in terms of participation rates and kilometers walked.

OML also took the opportunity to reiterate the message about wellness that he imparted during the Lopez Group 2011 Palaro that is, wellness is a personal value.
“While our companies can and will provide all the assistance and support that they possibly can, each of us has to take responsibility for ourselves and our good health.  Each of us should be accountable for our own physical, emotional and spiritual well-being because only by being healthy can we be of value and service to our families, to our companies, to our customers, to our friends and to our society.  If we are not well, we become a burden to all of them.” OML added.

This year, Bayan Telecommunications, Incorporated, Energy Development Corporation and Sky Cable Corporation were recognized for having the most number of delegates during the entire cycle (August, 2010 – August, 2011).  Eighteen (18) Lopez employees were also recognized for successfully completing all these walks namely, Noemi Palomata of Asian Eye Institute; Pio Buray, Mar Samarita, Brenda Samarita, Jonathan Quiles, Michael Mojares of First Philippine Holdings; Olympio Galabia, Baltazar Gaña, Nanette Alajar, Jocelyn Frondoso, Norwin Mark Sayno, Roderick Tejares, Larry Jabeguero, Marlon Bibe, Jose Oliver Mojares of First Philippine Realty Corporation; Robert Balmediano of Philec and; Alfred Go and Bhong Yumul of Sky Cable Corporation.

Participants were also inspired by the Biggest Loser: Pinoy Edition contestants’ sharing on wellness after the awarding, which was then followed by an entertaining number from an Ati-atihan group.  Mr. Rico De Manzana officially closed the program by thanking all the people who made the Walk the Talk program up and running.  Raffle items were given away after the program.

Indeed, it was a great walk.  But more than just a great walk, it was also another milestone for the Lopez Lifelong Wellness System.  A sign that one way or another, the Lopez community is choosing to “be well and stay well”.

See more photos of "Walk-the-Talk 5th Anniversary" in our Photo Galleries.

Benjo Sandoval, LGFI-Lifelong Team
Published: August 23, 2011