About

Dear friends, I will be running the London Marathon on April 24, 2016 to raise funds for Kanlungan ("Cradle") Filipino Consortium (http://www.kanlungan.org.uk), a charity consisting of an alliance of community organisations that aims to support and empower migrant workers in the UK. Apart from empowerment projects for migrants, Kanlungan is also active in raising funds for relief operations projects in typhoon-prone areas in the Philippines. At the moment, Kanlungan is leading a campaign to Stop35k (http://www.stop35k.org). This new 35k threshhold law took effect just this April. This law means that those who have - or will - enter the UK under Tier 2 visas who do not earn £35,000 or more within five years of attaining their visa will be deported. I first came to the UK to do my masters in Cultural Studies in London in 2011. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Film Studies in Edinburgh. As an international student, I feel strongly connected to the issues that migrant workers face, albeit in different ways. Social exclusion, discrimination, and problematic immigration policies — these are just some of the important issues that Kanlungan seeks to address. I've been a running enthusiast since 2009 and have participated in a number of short distance races. I was finally able to do my first half marathon in September 2015. The upcoming London event will be my first full marathon! Running for a cause definitely makes it all the more meaningful. I've had the privilege of working with some members of Kanlungan and can attest to the value of the work they are doing for migrants in the UK. If you believe in this cause, please support me in this marathon and help me make a small contribution to social change. Any amount will definitely go a long way!