3 days ago
Thousands turn up in Punggol for 3rd anniversary of Jack Neo's walking group Pa Pa Zao, Singapore News
Local walking group Pa Pa Zao, founded by comedian-director Jack Neo, held their third anniversary celebrations for a cause at Punggol Coast Mall early on Sunday (July 13) morning.
An estimated 3,000 participants attended the event, which kicked off at about 8am with warm-up exercises followed by a walk — naturally.
Organised in partnership with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), the theme for the event was Life Unstoppable, and featured games, performances and appearances by around 80 celebrities and personalities.
The event was also graced by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Law Edwin Tong.
Speaking to AsiaOne this morning, Tong, who's also the Second Minister for Home Affairs, called Pa Pa Zao a "great initiative".
"It marries fitness with community and you have people from all walks of life coming together, motivated by fitness," he remarked.
However, he noted that "fitness alone can't be done when you don't have friends", lauding the initiative for bringing together individuals' friends, family, neighbours and people from their social networks, and using music and fun as the centre of the event.
When interviewed by AsiaOne, Jack expressed surprise that the initiative, which he started in 2022 following the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, has continued for as long as it has.
He shared in another media interview that he'd started the session on a whim, inviting people on a livestream to join him on a walk at Bukit Timah Hill.
"I thought nobody would come to see me, but at the first session, 58 people turned up," he told AsiaOne, adding that the number of participants just grew from there.
The 65-year-old added the event's "trademark" is walking and singing together, and the emphasis is on positive energy.
"The best part is, after walking for about 5km, we sit down and sing. The atmosphere is hard to get," he elaborated, thanking the approximately 100 volunteers each week, "from the captain to group leaders, block leaders, medics and traffic controllers". Long-time supporters
Among the well-known names spotted at Sunday's event included local actors Henry Thia, Aileen Tan, Lin Ruping, Yao Wenlong, Terence Cao, Joey Swee and Mayiduo.
Attendees at Sunday's event ranged from newer Pa Pa Zao participants to long-time supporters.
Retiree Francis Cheang, 75, shared with AsiaOne that he'd participated in Pa Pa Zao "26 times" - and maybe even more, as they had been attending the meetups regularly since April 2023, his wife Jessie Chia, 64, remembers.
"We like to keep healthy and connect with other people, and help each other to be healthy," he shared, with Chia chiming in that they enjoy getting to know like-minded people who like to keep fit.
Another couple whom AsiaOne met, retirees Lee Swee Guat, 67, and Teo Yit Huat, 72, took time out amid the former's birthday celebrations to sweat it out at the event.
They told AsiaOne that they'd participated in Pa Pa Zao a handful of times because they hope to live a healthy lifestyle and to "make new friends".
Participant, 65-year-old retiree Tan Soh Buay, also shared the same sentiments, adding she has attended the walks regularly over two years, while her niece, operator Fam Nyeok Heong, 55, has gone for the walks more than 10 times.
Fam added that it is hard to make time for exercise as a working adult and Pa Pa Zao offers a good way to fit in some exercise during the week.
Additional reporting by Ho Jia Fen
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