100 cyclists ride for 'Bantay Bata'At the break of dawn on May 21, 100 Filipino-American cyclists rode 68 miles in Stockton, California, to pedal for a cause. Organized by Frank Gatdula of cyclist group LUZVIMIN, the fundraiser brought JR Calanoc’s See JR Run campaign to over halfway to its goal for the children of Bantay Bata (Child Watch), ABS-CBN Foundation International’s flagship program.

Early this year, Calanoc pledged to complete the race of his lifetime, the Subaru Ironman Triathlon in Penticton, British Columbia, for the beneficiaries of Bantay Bata—children that suffer from malnutrition and child abuse. The fundraiser brought together Filipino-Americancyclist groups from all over Northern California: the Tracy Riders, Filipino-American Cyclist Team, Siclista, Sacramento Pinoy Riders, Adobo Velo and the LUZVIMIN Racing Team.

“When people take what they love to do and choose to do it for good, it makes the act of giving so much more meaningful,” said J. Robbie Fabian, president of ABS-CBN Foundation International. “The children of Bantay Bata have much to look forward to with a global community as generous as that of the Filipinos worldwide.”