Global Filipino: Cenen Milan Jr.

Photo from successfulpersons.blogspot.com

What do running and books have in common? Cenen “Mac” Milan Jr. surely knows the connection.

From the outside, Mac looks just like the typical guy who loves going to the beach and enjoying the white sand, a guy whose favorite meal is pasta and Coke, gets a little choked up watching “Notting Hill” or reading “Tuesdays with Morrie.” But Mac is so much more than what meets the eye.

In December 2012, Mac (or “Happy”) ran for seventeen straight days covering the distance between Davao and Manila. His feat raised enough funds to donate 60,000 books to less fortunate children and even exposed his advocacies of education and environmental awareness to more people.

In an interview with Alpha Sanford of Aspire Motivate Succeed, Mac shares his story of struggles, triumph, and sharing the glory.

Sweet Run, Bumpy Ride

Mac considers his family as his “biggest success.” He believes that being the breadwinner was extra harder because of challenges he faced along the way to provision, but he persevered and emerged victorious on the other side.

“Being the eldest in the family, I have the responsibility of taking good care of my siblings. Part of it is to send them to good schools,” Mac shared.

“Part of the family journey is to be the breadwinner also and a good role model to my siblings. For me, my family was actually the biggest success I ever had. It is in this family that I started to learn what real love is. It is through them that I learned to share more to others without asking anything in return. Compared to my run, my family journey is indeed a sweet run. In every journey, my family will always be there no matter what. No matter what it costs, they will always be there to love and support me.”

Mac draws strength from the love he constantly receives from his family.

“It is in love that I became what I am now and at the same time it taught me to rise up from the obstacles or failures in my journey as well. Indeed it was a bumpy ride. Failures are failures if I didn’t learn anything from it. There were several lessons that I have along the way. Such as lessons in romantic relationship that defines my perspective in love. The not “happy ending” story of my past romantic relationships taught me to believe and see the good things in others. It made me realize that everything happens for a reason. It taught me to see the brighter side of the world. It taught me to believe in [fairness],” he explained.

On Why He Runs

“Why did I start running?” Mac smiled.

“I just wanted to end the year doing something for a cause through my running,” he answered his own question.

“Last year, I wrote a concept about my dream foundation that will lead every child to PRAY, READ, EAT and PLAY. After so many months of waiting for a kind-hearted person to help me to get through the Securities and Exchange Commission, last October 10, 2012 a group of people helped to acquire necessary license to operate. I took it as a sign then, to run for a good reason, not only for myself but for those who will benefit from the organization,” he explained.

From then on, people started to voluntarily offer their help to Mac’s cause and running project. He even received help with his training needs and daily nutrition! With a landslide of assistance from concerned people who saw the heart in Mac’s cause, he decided to start his “epic run” on the first day of December 2012.

“So, in December 1, 2012 I started my long epic journey for a cause from Davao City to Manila. The journey was indeed very challenging. It was one of a kind journey. The run-and-walk defines me who really am I as a person.

“It really taught me that the longest distance really that I am going to take to, is the distance between my heart and mind. The distance between my heart and my mind is incomparable to the distance of Davao to Manila. It is all about the conquering the real me in my run. The run-and-walk to Manila took me 17 long days. It was a run for about 85 KM to 135 KM a day,” he recalled with deep pride and fulfillment.

He even shared a memorable point in his run-and-walk.

“When I was running in Mindanao area, there was this couple who waited for me for about two hours as I passed their area. They were both ice cream vendors. As I passed, they [gave me] six cups of ice cream,” he laughed.

“They told me that I have to keep running and must finish the race,” he said. “They simply believed [in] my advocacy for the indigenous people in Mindanao.”

“Whenever there are people who believe on my cause and advocacy, it brings me hope and passion to go on. It fuels me to move and never say it’s enough. Small incident, but in the road and in the real world, the simplest thing inspires me a lot,” Mac realized.

His December 2012 run-and-walk from Davao to Manila aimed to support his advocacy for education and environmental conservation. Every step that Mac took for those 17 days compelled an international non-government agency to donate 60,000 books for children and even garnered support from SWITCH2SAVE, who challenged him to run from Manila to Brazil to support ten different charitable foundations.

Mac is also very actively supporting Pray.Read.Eat.Play, Inc., “a non-profit, non-stock and non-government organization that seeks to transform the lives of every Filipino family through education and life sustaining environmental livelihood programs,” explains Mac.

Together with the local government, the community, and partner organizations, P.R.E.P. Inc. “aims to develop literacy skills particularly reading in the primary school, supports scholars and provide livelihood program for the mothers.”

In order to make this dream a reality, P.R.E.P. Inc. hopes to build a free public library, a preparatory school for indigenous Filipino children, and an eco-friendly livelihood center for the mothers in Brgy. Malangag, Antipas, North Cotabato. It also plans to aid in the community’s reforestation by establishing a plant nursery and growing one million trees.

“Never say die”

When asked about what helped him succeed in his projects and in life, Mac has a short and simple answer.

“It’s about living the spirit of never-say-die attitude,” he shared.

“I always believed that everything happens for a reason. Disappointments and failures are part of the cycle of life. It teaches me to become wiser and stronger… and be humble at all times,” he explains.

Mac also shared his favorite quote, “Life is beautiful!”

In the spirit of “never say die,” Mac defines success the other way around.

“It’s (success) not fame. It’s not money or power,” he started. “Success is waking up in the morning so excited about what you have to do that you literally fly out the door. It’s getting to work with people you love.

“Success is connecting with the world and making people feel. It’s finding a way to bind together people who have nothing but a dream in common. It’s falling asleep at night knowing you did the best job you could,” he explains further.

Mac ends by saying, “Success is joy and freedom and friendship. Success is love.”

What’s next for Mac?

“I want to finish the preparation of my next run – Manila to Brazil,” he answered.

“The said advocacy run will benefit the other ten foundations under SWITCH2SAVE. Next year, I am looking forward to finish my advocacy run from Manila – Brazil fruitfully and may it give more hope not only to the ten foundations under the SWITCH2SAVE but also the Filipinos that we will be passing by,” he said.

Mac also never misses the chance to look forwrd to what’s ahead.

“In the next 10 years, I would like to see my foundation P.R.E.P. Inc. [be] a big one, extending its resources internationally. At the same time, seeing myself still running, happily married at that time, and being able to fulfill all my dreams.”

Interview conducted by Alpha Sanford.

Article written by Ching Dee, correspondent, Philippine Canadian Inquirer.