PASAY CITY — Florendo Lapiz and Lizane Abella of Spectrum Runners Club claimed victory in the 42-kilometer category of the National Milo Marathon at Mall of Asia grounds on Sunday. Both from Cebu, Lapiz and Abella each won PHP50,000 and secured their places in the national finals scheduled for December 1 in Cagayan de Oro City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lapiz, from Carcar town, completed the race in two hours, 42 minutes, and 33 seconds, earning the men's title. Last year, he finished second with a time of 2:34:40. Salvador Polilio and Welfred Esporma followed in second and third places with times of 2:49:54 and 2:58:51, respectively.
In the women's division, Abella, a 35-year-old from Minglanilla, finished first with a time of 3:21:05. She had previously secured third place in the years 2023 and 2017. Maricar Camacho, last year's champion, came in second this year, followed by Jewel De Luna in third.
This year's marathon, marking Milo's 60th year in the Philippines, aimed to encourage personal and family growth through sports, promoting values like grit, discipline, and teamwork. Over 20,000 participants joined various race categories, including 21K, 10K, 5K, 5K Family, 3K, and 1K Kids.
The event in Pasay City was the fourth of the 15-leg National Milo Marathon series, which began on April 7 with races in Laoag, Batangas City, and Mandaue City. The series will continue across the Philippines, including upcoming races in Puerto Princesa, Legazpi City, and several other locations.