LOONEY Tunes Active! Has its own formula to make kids go out, play and have active lifestyles early on ? using classic cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny, Tazmanian Devil, Tweety, Sylvester, Daffy Duck and Marvin the Martian.

It has held running clinics in schools such as Pedro Poveda College, De La Salle Santiago Zobel, Ateneo de Manila Grade School and San Beda Alabang College.

They were conducted by professional athlete Rio de la Cruz, who coached 60 students per school on the basics of running. (De la Cruz provides strength and conditioning programs for athletes, celebrities, students and running enthusiasts.)

?Kids love cartoons. We want to use the natural attributes of these characters to promote an active lifestyle for children,? said Ailea Zialcita, director for sales of Global Brands group, the licensing agent of Looney Tunes in the Philippines.

?We worked with schools to get kids interested, since we noticed that children, especially those in highly urban areas, are prone to obesity and inactiveness.?

She said the program targets schoolchildren ages 4-12 ? the primary school age when kids can hone their potential.
?It?s when kids are always on the go, when they have the energy to welcome challenges and adventures.?

Why running?

Running, Zialcita says, is the core of most sports like basketball, soccer, badminton, tennis. It is cost-effective because you don?t need equipment, except good running shoes, and you can do it anywhere ? in school, around your neighborhood, on the beach.

Running is something parents and kids can enjoy day or night.

Looney Tunes Active! caps this year?s campaign with a series of activities on August 30 at the SM Mall of Asia, Music Hall. It starts with a Fun Run at 6 a.m., open to parents and children eight years old and up. (To join, register at Nike Park on Bonifacio High Street, at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, or visit www.looneytunesactiverun.com.ph. Registration fee is P300 for 3k and P500 for 5k.)

There will also be a basketball clinic at 10 a.m. for kids, with players and coaches from the Philippine Basketball Association, followed by a 3-on-3 streetball competition.

?The response from schools has been overwhelming, the clinics take the whole day and everyone has fun,? adds Anna Liza Jabol, marketing manager for Global Brands. ?And it helps that it?s not just the kids who patronize Looney Tunes items but the parents as well.?

Shirts, school and sports supplies are available at SM Department Stores? Character Shop.