Run to Remember 2025: A Run for Resilience and Climate Action

Tacloban City, Leyte — November 8, 2025

Twelve years ago, on November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) tore through Tacloban City and the Visayas, becoming one of the most powerful and destructive typhoons ever recorded. In a matter of hours, storm surges engulfed coastal communities, homes were swept away, and families were separated in the chaos.

Nationwide, over 6,300 people lost their lives, and more than 16 million people were affected across nine regions. Millions of these were children and young people, with estimates showing that around 5–6 million children were affected, and well over 1 million children were left homeless as their houses, schools, and communities were destroyed. The streets that once echoed with children’s laughter became places of loss, trauma, and uncertainty for an entire generation.

Beyond the physical devastation, Yolanda exposed a harsh reality: young people are among the most vulnerable to climate-induced disasters. The typhoon underscored the urgent need for stronger climate action, better preparedness, and community-led resilience.

Today, twelve years later, Tacloban continues not only to rebuild, but to remember—and to act.

Honoring the Past, Strengthening the Future

On November 8, 2025, more than 1,100 runners gathered at the Old Leyte Capitol Grounds for Run to Remember 2025, a 12th Commemorative Run honoring those who lost their lives during Yolanda—especially children and youth—celebrating the strength of survivors, and renewing the community’s shared commitment to climate action and resilience.

The event was organized by FundLife, in partnership with the City Government of Tacloban, led by Hon. Vice Mayor Raymund A. Romualdez, alongside Hiraya Tacloban, Tacloban City Tourism Operations Office, Tacloban City Sports Office, DITO Telecommunity, Tacloban City TOMECO, Tacloban City Rescue Unit (TACRU), Tacloban City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Tacloban City Police Office, and the Bureau of Fire Protection Region 8.

Together, these partners stood united under one meaningful message: we remember, and we act.

Running Toward a More Resilient Tomorrow

Despite the strong winds brought by an approaching typhoon, runners stood undeterred. As they gathered before sunrise, the gusts that swept through the Capitol Grounds carried with them a sense of familiarity—a reminder of the same winds that once tested the courage of every Taclobanon in 2013.

This time, however, the winds felt different. They carried not fear, but purpose. Not despair, but determination.

The atmosphere was filled with emotion. Some ran in memory of loved ones lost, including children who never made it home that day. Others ran in gratitude for the lives and communities rebuilt. Many ran for the children and youth of today—and for the generations who will inherit the planet we protect.

“Typhoon Yolanda changed the lives of every Taclobanon, but it also awakened in us a shared responsibility — to protect our environment and to prepare for what lies ahead,” shared John Rex Acuin, one of FundLife’s focal persons and Coach at Sagkahan National High School.

Each step of the run became a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and renewal.

More Than a Run — A Testament to Youth and Community Power

The Run to Remember is more than an annual event. For FundLife, it is a living testament to the organization’s belief that change begins when communities come together—when individuals recognize their collective power to take meaningful action.

Through this run, FundLife continues to amplify its mission of empowering young people to become changemakers within their own communities. The event aligns with FundLife’s ongoing work to strengthen climate education, disaster preparedness, and youth leadership, ensuring that the painful lessons of Yolanda translate into a future that is more informed, inclusive, and resilient.

Runners from different sectors—including local government offices, running groups, youth organizations, schools, and private institutions—took to the streets that once bore the brunt of Yolanda’s destruction. Each stride represented both remembrance and resolve: a commitment to build a future that values sustainability, preparedness, and unity, especially for children and youth who remain at the frontlines of the climate crisis.

Every kilometer run, every heartbeat shared, was a declaration of commitment—a promise that the people of Tacloban will continue to rise, rebuild, and respond to the challenges brought by a changing climate.

A City That Remembers—and Rises

As the runners crossed the finish line and the morning winds began to calm, the moment captured Tacloban’s spirit perfectly: a city that remembers its past, rises in its present, and runs with hope for its future.

Twelve years after Yolanda, the memory of the thousands of lives lost—especially the children and young people whose futures were cut short—continues to guide Tacloban’s journey.

Through events like Run to Remember, the city sends a clear message to the world: we remember, we rise, and we act—for our children, our youth, and the generations yet to come.