Street children in Philippines and World.

EPISODE 6 LKTKR
SEPTEMBER 11, 2004

YOUTH VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION!!!

VOICE OUT:

In every episode of LKTKR, we have been indirectly pushing for Volunteerism, after all, the Voice of the Youth Network and the people behind this radio program work out of pure volunteerism and advocacy. Most of our previous guests started out as volunteers and they still are in big and simple ways, the Heroes of our generation.
According to the US – based United Way Volunteer Center, young people spend 2.4 billion hours every year to volunteer as part of their school curriculum. When it comes to the fruit of one’s labor, money is out of the question, because the rewards of volunteerism are absolutely priceless.
As the Philippines face crisis in just every aspect of the society, the Spirit of Volunteerism is just what we need, the answer to all these problems. Filipino Youth, would you take the Real Challenge?

BILIB KAMI SA MGA VOLUNTEERS!!!

For this episode, we have invited two different organizations serving the same advocacy of promoting volunteerism, Hands On Manila Foundation, Inc. and Ivolunteer.ph.
Our resource speaker, Lisa Crisostomo, executive director, explains HOM as a non-profit organization that recruits, educates and coordinates with new volunteers to help them find different organizations to work with. To date, HOM is affiliated with 47 organizations and foundations welcoming everyone who is willing to dedicate a small amount of time and effort to help others. So far, HOM have had 3000 volunteers.
Most of the volunteers of HOM are young professionals who could spare at least one or half of their free day. The students who go to HOM are required through the National Service Training Program (as replacement to ROTC) of universities. NSTP gives young people the first exposure to volunteerism. Their experience would teach them that volunteerism is worthwhile, not difficult, and definitely not boring because of the fulfillment they get in return. Young people could be with their peers and friends as suppose to the usual gimmicks and activities. Usually, volunteers get attach to the people they help and that’s what makes them go back.
Few of HOM projects include feeding to children, tutorial to kids in shelters, environmental activities and outreach to the sick available to their NGO affiliates. People could choose from any of their interests and any of the organizations where they would fit.
Lisa stresses that volunteerism doesn’t require financial capability to take part of this cause, just free time and willingness.
HOM invites everyone to its anniversary on October 24 at the NBC tent in the Fort, Makati where the awarding of Change the World through Volunteerism would be held. Anyone interested to join HOM is required to attend to one – hour monthly orientation. The contact numbers are 843-7044 – 843-5231.

iVolunteer.ph is the Philippines’ First Volunteerism Portal. iVolunteer.ph seeks to promote volunteerism for social development by harnessing the power and reach of the Internet. iVolunteer.ph provides web-based facilities for non-stock and non-profit organizations to post volunteer opportunities in a intelligently-searcheable database for FREE! Interested volunteers can then conveniently browse these volunteer opportunities (vopp) by issue/cause, location, duration, and other parameters — all at the convenience of their desktops. Online sign-up facilities are provided or volunteers may make arrangements with participating organizations directly. Some of the people behind www.ivolunteer.ph graced the studio, Ms. Deanie Ocampo, Mark Ruiz, Regnard Raquedan, and Ms. Ritchie Magpayo.
Ritchie explains the three major features of the website include Volunteer Matching, where people could sign up to organizations; Resources on Volunteerism, where they can read articles, stories and events; Referral Service through the online e-groups where 600 individual volunteers are signed up to share information.
According to Deanie, iVolunteer was launched 3 years ago, during the country’s crisis with the toppled administration. Until now, newspapers and media have become too pessimistic. Their motivation is to do something that creates a positive cycle and that would encourage and give hope to the Filipinos. Through the website, individual volunteers tell their inspiring stories and experiences from simple to “grand work”, from a student visiting cancer patients to a MILF rebel returnee that started community development programs.
Mark says that iVolunteer recognizes that all sectors should come together and share the advocacy, from private, government and youth sectors. iVolunteer is like a “Friendster” on volunteerism where the supply and demand for volunteers meet.
Regnard, the Webmaster, plans to improve functionalities and the design of the site to adhere to standards. Through the Internet, people are no longer bounded by physical location. But the project itself faces challenges, because of the fact that less than 1/3 of Filipino homes have Internet access and many people are still computer illiterate. But they try to harness and maximize the available resources.
A special section of the site features the stories of different volunteers about their inspiring experiences. Deanie says that this is their way to give recognition to these unsung heroes overshadowed by too much negative news in media. These stories range from interaction with cancer patients to rebel returnees that help community programs.
This December, iVolunteer, would celebrate Volunteer Month where they would hold Volunteer Recognition Night. They plan to have a weeklong celebration of volunteers.

JOIN KA DITO!

Pocholo Gonzales (Voice of the Youth Network), Al Ian Barcelona (Philippine Youth Sphere) and Lloyd Luna (Network of Campus Journalist of the Philippines), gave a live report from Hotel Supreme Baguio City, with the leadership training of 162 Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and 15 SK Kagawad of Pasay City.
Greg Paulo, Pasay SK Federation President, says that they have been holding this seminar for the third year. This year, it’s about Team Building and leadership seminar. These seminars would greatly change the attitude and service of SK members. Andrea of Baranggay 58, Zone 7, promises that they would practice everything they have learned from the seminar. Luz of Baranggay 164, Zone 18, is just overwhelmed with the training. Christian learned more about himself and the purpose of his life. Greg Paulo thanks Pasay DILG, City Account and Mayor Pee Wee Trinidad for the success of the training.

YAN ANG EDITORYAL!

In the face of crisis and difficulties, what the Philippines needs right now are VOLUNTEERS. There is a renewed call for volunteerism to help the government and to help the nation. There is a need to celebrate and recognize these ordinary people who are willing to give part of their selves for the country through development work. And LKTKR would be more than welcome to honor these young volunteers, these everyday heroes that we should all look up to and would someday, really change the world by affecting an individual

VOTY NETWORK