On March 31, 2012, Salomon will be hosting the Salomon Xtrail Pilipinas in the lush, green slopes of Tagaytay Highlands.

It includes three different categories catering to all running levels—from beginners to elite athletes. All distances include a road-to-trail terrain, with 6km & 12km distances for beginners & intermediate trail runners. The 24km category will include vertical ascents, simulating a “mountain run” for which Salomon embodies, being a “Mountain sports company.”

Inclusive in the race fees are the race bibs & timing chip with a Salomon racing bag, Salomon racing headgear, & a souvenir technical tee.

Post-race brunch will also be provided for the finishers of the race. The Salomon Xtrail Pilipinas event is a green run event, which means no plastic cups & bottles will be given away & used. All runners are encouraged to bring their own hydration belt/gear/bag.

Registration has already been closed as all slots have already been filled. But don’t fret, Dispatch Magazine will be giving away six (6) race slots for this event. Like our facebook fanpage and watch out for our contest on Friday, March 23, 2012.

For more information on the Salomon Xtrail Pilipinas, visit www.salomonxtrailpilipinas.com & Salomon Trail Running – Pilipinas Facebook Page! The Salomon Xtrail Pilipinas is co-sponsored by: R.O.X. & Tagaytay Highlands. With the support of TIMEX, Nathan, Gatorade, High5, Sea-to-Summit, Gold’s Gym.

Solar Ambassadors turning over the solar lamps to IP

At the Mt. Pulag Ranger Station, sitting at the base of second highest peak in the Philippines, communication is difficult. A ranger has run out of battery on his cellphone. If he is lucky he can borrow a motorcycle to ride to the town where he can charge his phone again. Otherwise, he has no choice but to take the trek down by foot, which could last a couple of hours, in search of electricity. It is a cumbersome process for our park rangers to simply stay connected, but they are not alone.

Every night, as the sun sets, 25 million or one in four Filipinos are left in the dark. Without light, development is stifled and the cycle of poverty is perpetuated. This is true not only for our park rangers, but also for the indigenous communities living in remote villages along our most beautiful mountains, where it is uneconomical to extend transmission lines or electrical grids. Recognizing this need, Stiftung Solarenergie launched Hike for Light.

From November 2011 to February 2012, two hundred volunteer climbers will serve as Stiftung Solarenergie solar ambassadors by supplying 500 solar-powered lanterns and mobile phone chargers to un-electrified families who live along the six highest mountains across the Philippines. These solar ambassadors are taking their enthusiasm on the outdoors to the next level by helping spread the foundation’s mission of providing rural Filipino villages with sustainable access to energy for social development.

Team Everest members Janet Belarmino and Leo Oracion and Stiftung’s Jim Ayala turning over ST1 solar lanterns to Cordillera Conservation Trust (CCT)

Leading the Hike for Light solar ambassadors are the seasoned climbers from Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation. These talented individuals organized the First Philippine Expedition to Mt. Everest. Now, Art Valdez and Team Everest have taken on the challenge of helping Stiftung Solarenergie navigate its way to the off-grid communities living on Mt. Apo, Mt. Dulang-Dulang, Mt. Canlaon, Mt. Majaas, Mt. Pulag, and Mt. Guiting-Guiting.

Once there, local partner organizations assist Stiftung Solarenergie in coordinating with the community, educating the beneficiaries, and providing the necessary maintenance and technical support for the solar lanterns. As the bridge to the local community, these partner organizations are integral to the model of StiftungSolarenergie, as they enable targeted and sustainable assistance to areas in need. Partner organizations help the foundation to combine outreach with training to ensure that the beneficiaries know how to maximize the use of the solar lanterns and receive proper technical support after the foundation has left.

As the partnerships between Stiftung Solarenergie, Kaya ng Pinoy, and community partners demonstrate, the success of Hike for Light is dependent on the support of like-minded organizations. Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) and several socially oriented corporations namely Primer Group of Companies through C.O.R.E and R.O.X, Century Tuna, Energy Development Corporation and Cebu Pacific among others.

The Hike for Light Solar and Protected Area Ambassadors continues their journey with the climb on Mt. Guiting-Guiting on January 27-29, 2012 and Mt. Apo on February 3-6, 2012. Visit www.stiftung-solarenergie.org.ph or call 843.56.09 to learn more about the campaign.

With death toll reaching more than 900 and hundreds still missing, tropical storm Sendong (international name Washi) is definitely the deadliest storm to hit the Philippines and most likely, the rest of the world this year.

Our brothers and sisters in Mindanao particularly those from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City which were hit by flashfloods brought about by the torrential rains last weekend are in need of our help.

Donations in cash and kind are accepted in Recreational Outdoor eXchange (R.O.X) and Columbia Sportswear stores nationwide until December 22, 2011.

Let’s all do what we can. Join the relief effort for the victims of Sendong NOW.