THOUSANDS of Negrenses joined the record-breaking Worldwide Walk to Poverty led by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in three venues on May 6.
A total of 11,195 members and non-members of the church covering the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical District of Negros Occidental joined the international event in Bacolod City, organizers said.
The walk started in front of the Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon up to Ikthus in Lacson Street or a distance of 1.6 kilometers.
Representatives of the Guinness World Records were present in the event to ensure rules in the record-attempt strictly observed.
In Kabankalan City, 3,600 brethren of the church' Ecclesiastical District of Negros del Sur and in San Carlos City another 3,600 covering the Ecclesiastical District of Negros del Norte joined the event.
Guinness World Record already awarded the INC three world records – the largest charity walk on a single venue, the largest human mosaic, and the largest human sentence.
INC's two other Guinness attempts for the largest charity walk in multiple venues and the most nationalities in a charity walk would still have to be validated by Guinness headquarters.
The event was held simultaneously held at 358 sites around the globe in 44 countries, 33 territories and across 18 time zones.
Proceeds from the event are used by INC for its food and medical assistance programs for poor communities.
The joint effort of INC members across the globe is one of many international campaigns of the INC's socio-civic programs aimed to strengthen the bond between the congregations of the Church Of Christ and the communities in which they serve.
The INC also continues to support five self-sustaining resettlement communities in the Philippines; along with 17 eco-farming sites, like the one recently established in Ladybrand, South Africa.
It will also be a second attempt to break the biggest simultaneous charity walk by a religious organization.
The INC is one of the biggest Philippine-based religious groups, boasting of 7,000 local congregations and missions grouped into 142 ecclesiastical districts in 143 countries and territories. (PR)