A Lifetime of Volunteering: Mrs. Amelia Juico-Gordon
A Lifetime of Volunteering: Mrs. Amelia Juico-Gordon
Mrs. Amelia Juico-Gordon’s life was committed to volunteerism and the welfare of the marginalized. For her, “true service lives in the words of Jesus, which are the source of my joy in serving: whoever aspires to greatness must serve the rest; and whoever wants to rank first among you, must serve the needs of all.” When she passed away last November 17, 2009, she left behind a legacy of service not only to her family but countless others whose lives she touched with love.
“She is the Number One Volunteer”, recalled Senator Richard J. Gordon to Director Joselito C. de Vera, when the latter visited the wake of Mrs. Gordon in Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati City. As Mrs. Gordon’s son, it is no surprise that Senator Gordon, who himself is known as Mr. Volunteer, has exemplified the same passion for volunteerism and public service.
Mrs. Gordon’s contributions to the upliftment of the lives of people and communities through her volunteer works has been recognized by the P hilippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) and the National Volunteer Month Steering Committee (NVMSC) by honoring her with the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA) in December 2005. The VLAA is the highest recognition given to an individual or an organization with significant contributions to and serving as role model in the promotion of volunteerism for development.
Mrs. Gordon was the wife of the late James Gordon who was considered the father of Olongapo City. When Mayor Gordon was assassinated in 1967, Mrs. Gordon was thrown into full-time public service. As city mayor, she completed the first Master Plan for the city through the Olongapo Land Development and Urban Planning Authority - an interdisciplinary planning group of resident professionals and government officials. After her term as mayor ended in 1971, she served as Assemblywoman in the Batasang Pambansa. She sponsored a congressional act that enabled the proceeds from the sales of titled land within Olongapo to be retained in the city treasury as the community’s development fund. She built new settlements and extended the city’s public service to the residents of formerly underserved communities. She also founded the Iba-Olongapo Catholic Women’s League, the Olongapo Red Cross and the Olongapo Civic Action Group.
One of Mrs. Gordon’s life-long commitment is the welfare of children especially those who are orphaned and abandoned. She has been a mother to countless unwanted young people, legally adopting around 60 children raising them as her own. Their home became a nursery. Together with her husband, they set up the Boys’ Town and Girls’ Home for orphaned children of Filipino-American parents. Today, these children have grown to be responsible successful adults.
PNVSCA and the volunteer community in the Philippines extend its sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Gordon. She was an extraordinary mother, a great leader and the number one volunteer.
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JOSSIE ESTO: A LIFE SHARED FOR PEACE
JOSSIE ESTO: A LIFE SHARED FOR PEACE
The Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) joins the Philippines and global volunteer community in mourning the senseless death of Ms. Jossie Esto, the Filipina United Nations Volunteer (UNV) who was one of the fatalities in the brutal terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan on October 28.
Ms. Esto was an Electoral Outreach and Training Coordinator assigned to the UNDP administered project “Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow” (UNDP/ELECT) since October last year. The project supports the conduct of democratic election which will take place in Afghanistan this November.
UNV volunteers like Ms. Esto provide vital support to the implementation of development programs and projects in developing countries, most importantly in programs promoting democratic governance and the peace process. A former teacher in the Philippines, Ms Esto also served as a UNV volunteer in Liberia, Timor-Leste and Nepal prior to her assignment in Afghanistan.
Our Filipino volunteers are a special breed of development workers who decided to share a period of their life to be of help to others. Many of them leave their loved ones, give up the comforts of a secured home and sacrifice stable careers to pursue their passion for volunteering. They labor in obscure silence, always hand in hand with local communities. Their biggest reward is not the monetary return but in knowing that some change, no matter how small, happened to the lives of the people with whom they work.
Ms. Esto is one of these rare breed of Filipinos, and while we are saddened by her untimely demise, we are also very proud of her heroism. We sincerely condole with her bereaved family and thank them for the gift of time, expertise and service that Ms. Esto selflessly offered in the spirit of volunteerism. The meaning of her life and sacrifices will always be remembered as a legacy of the Philippines and the volunteer program’s commitment to peace and development.
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SIGNING SET FOR THE IRR OF RA 9418
The Multi-Sectoral Advisory Body (MSAB) of the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) has approved the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9418 – An Act Institutionalizing Strategy For Rural Development, Strengthening Volunteerism And For Other Purposes also known as the “Volunteer Act of 2007.”
The signing of the IRR is set on 5 February 2009, 11:00 a.m. at the PNVSCA Bulwagan Bayanihan. This will be led by PNVSCA Executive Director Joselito C. de Vera and members of the MSAB composed of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Presidential Management Staff (PMS), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).
RA 9418 serves as a policy and institutional framework for integrating and harmonizing the various volunteering effort in the country and ensuring the smooth coordination among volunteers and volunteer organizations in pursuit of the goals and objectives of the voluntary sector for national development and international cooperation.
Invited to grace the occasion are Socio-economic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General Ralph G. Recto, Congressman Arrel R. Olaño, Chairperson of the House Committee on Rural Development and major sponsor of RA 9418, former Senator and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development Senator Sergio de la Rama Osmena III, local and foreign volunteer organizations and partners in the academe, the corporate, non-profit sector and government representing the broad spectrum of the volunteer community in the Philippines.
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KOREA
OVERSEAS VOLUNTEERS (KOV) FIELDED 27th BATCH
Eighteen (18) Korea Overseas Volunteers (KOV) is set
to be assigned in the Philippines to provide technical assistance in
different development activities. The
new batch of volunteers known as Batch 27 will work on various projects
implemented by their local partner organizations.
The volunteers who arrived last 10 September 2007 will undergo 6
weeks language and culture training.
The group will add to contributions of sixty-one (61) KOV
volunteers in the country as of August this year.
They are deployed in NRC, CAR, Regions I to VII, XI and XIII.
State Colleges and Universities hold the most number of KOV with
22, while NGAs with 9, LGUs with 10 volunteers in place.
The
KOV program implemented by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)
aims at promoting friendship between Korea and developing host countries
through the dispatch of volunteers to participate in world-wide effort
to contribute to human betterment based on the spirit of "Share and
Respect." The skill
areas assisted by KOV are agriculture and fishery, education and
culture, vocational-technical training, computer, health, and sports.
The term of service of volunteers is two (2) years.
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September 2007
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KOICA
EVALUATION TEAM IN RP
Four (4) representatives
from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Head Office were
in the Philippines last September 5 to 9 to conduct an evaluation of the
Korea Overseas Volunteer (KOV) Program in the country. The mission is composed of Ms. Nam Soon Lee, Manager,
Overseas Volunteers Planning Team of KOICA, Mr. Jeong Wook Lee, Manager,
Evaluation Office of KOICA, Mr. Won Gyu Choi, Professor, Chonbuk
National University and Ms. Myoung Ok Kang, Lecturer from the Konkuk
University.
The mission, accompanied by Mr.
Jong Yong Park, Senior Administrative Officer of KOICA in the
Philippines, met with Executive Director Joselito C. De Vera and PNVSCA
staff Corazon Macaraig and Ela Sarmago last 6 September 2007 to discuss
the KOV Program specifically the current efforts and future thrusts of
KOV in providing volunteer assistance to the Philippines.
Among the major points discussed in
the meeting were the priority sectors and areas for foreign volunteer
assistance, the strengths and weaknesses of the KOV volunteers,
relationship with local partner organizations, volunteer management by
the KOICA Philippine Office and recommendations for program enhancement.
The KOICA team also expressed keen interest on the national
volunteering programs in the Philippines.
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September 2007
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UNV
MISSION IN THE PHILIPPINES
Mr. Bekele Yemerou, Programme and
Operations Officer of the Asia/Pacific/Europe/CIS Section (APEC) of the
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) visited PNVSCA as part of a five-day
program of a UNV Mission in the Philippines. The mission team is
composed of Mr. Yemerou and Mr. Thuan Xuan Nguyen, Senior Programme
Specialist, also of UNV APEC.
In a meeting held at PNVSCA on
September 4, 2007, Mr. Yemerou and PNVSCA Executive Director Joselito C.
de Vera discussed the continuing partnership specifically the renewal of
the Memorandum of Agreement between UNV and PNVSCA, the thrusts of the
Philippine volunteer program and of UNV in the Philippines and possible
partnership projects and activities.
Mr. Yemerou emphasized that UNV is
interested in supporting programs for youth, disaster risk reduction
management and national volunteering.
In line with this, the UNV Mission also met with representatives
from the UN agencies in the Philippines as well as other local agencies
and organizations involved in the above sectoral concerns to promote
volunteerism in the planning and implementation of their projects and
activities.
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September 2007
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NEDA 35th ANNIVERSARY
The National Economic and Development Authority celebrated
its 35the anniversary with an aural and visual exhibit held at the NEDA
Lobby in NEDA sa Pasig, Pasig City.
With this year’s theme, “NEDA and Development Planning”,
the exhibit featured photographs and publications highlighting the
development planning process in the Philippines from NEDA’s creation
to the present and selected high-impact projects of the NEDA Regional
Offices. An audio-visual
presentation on The NEDA Story and KR2 projects prepared by NEDA
Development Information Staff were also shown.
The ceremony was attended by NEDAns and guests from NEDA attached
agencies.
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September 2007
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JOCV
WELCOMES NEW PROGRAM COORDINATORS
The Japan Overseas Cooperation
Volunteers (JOCV), welcomes two incoming Program Coordinators Mr.
Kinemuchi Masaki, and Ms. Tanaka Chiho.
The new coordinators will replace Ms. Yumi Balce and Mr. Masahiro
Abe whose contracts finished this year.
Mr. Masaki, 44, who hailed from
Niigata-Ken, is a Bachelor of Applied Physics graduate at the Okayama
University. He served
as a JOCV volunteer in Morocco from 1987 to 1991.
After working in Mitsui Mineral Development Engineering Co. Ltd.
from 1991 to 1997, he rejoined JOCV in 1997 and assumed various posts
until his posting in the Philippines.
Mr. Masaki also holds a license in Project Cycle Management
Method.
Ms. Tanaka, 38, is from Kanagawa,
Japan and is a B.S. Agricultural Chemistry graduate from the University
of Tsukuba. She was a
former JOCV volunteer in Vietnam from 1999 to 2002.
She became a JICA training staff from 2002–2004 and eventually
became a Volunteer Coordinator in JICA Palau Office from 2004 until
January 2007.
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September 2007
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JOCV Turn-Over Ceremony
The 138th Batch of Japanese volunteers under the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) were handed over to their host organizations during yesterday’s Turn-Over Ceremony at the ‘Bulwagan Bayanihan”-Volunteer Knowledge and Resource Center (VKRC).
They will assist programs and projects in rural development, maternal child health and nutrition, veterinary medicine, special education of children and the disadvantaged. The JOCVs assignments are as follows:
Ms. Yurii Tanaka – Municipal Government of Bantayan, Cebu
Ms. Miho Ota – Municipal Government of Dumarao, Capiz
Ms. Erika Seki – SPED-Integrated School of Exceptional Children, Iloilo
Ms. Tomomi Shibuya – SPED Roxas City Special Education School, Capiz
Ms. Aoi Matsuda – National Dairy Authority, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Ms. Saori Sato – Handicap International, Makati City, Metro Manila
The volunteers are given Filipino language/local dialect training as appropriate and homestay exposure before they start their assignments. They will stay in the country for a minimum of two (2) years.
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Inauguration of VKRC
The PNVSCA and its partner volunteer organizations and stakeholders celebrated the opening of the ‘Bulwagan Bayanihan”-Volunteer Knowledge and Resource Center (VKRC) last Friday, 25 July, together with the NEDA Family and other guests..
This marks the beginning of the much awaited infrastructure that will capture knowledge and information on volunteering, document best practices and provide venue for exchange of information between and among volunteers and volunteer managers. It is envisioned to be a HUB on volunteering in the country where one finds the appropriate match of volunteer opportunities to demands for volunteering.
VKRC will serve as a venue for briefing, orientation and discussions, training of volunteers and volunteer managers, and for conference, seminar and workshops; and repository of volunteer information and materials where access is made available not only to the volunteer community but to policy makers and the general public.
Above all, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) provided support for the establishment of the center this year.
Welcome and enjoy the facility and services that VKRC offers!
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MOA Signing for the Project “Enhancing Dairy Buffalo Enterprise Development”
KOICA-PCC-PNVSCA
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) forged a Memorandum of Agreement on 22 July 2008 to deploy Korea Overseas Volunteers (KOVs) in local communities to assist in areas related to dairy business and management, animal husbandry, dairy processing and quality control. The project is in line with the development of dairy production system and improvement of milk quality and products among village-level cooperatives for sustainable buffalo-based enterprise development.
The KOVs shall serve for one (1) year through a team volunteer approach. The team volunteer will comprise three (3) members, who will provide technical expertise to participating centers in Cagayan State University (CSU), UP Los Baños (UPLB), Don Mariano Memorial State University (DMMSU) and Central Luzon State University (CLSU).
The agreement was signed by KOICA Resident Representative In Kim, PCC Executive Director Libertado C. Cruz, and PNVSCA Executive Director Joselito C. de Vera.
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Joint Evaluation for the JOCV-DTRI-NDA-PNVSCA
Dairy Development Enhancement Project under JOCV Program
A Japanese Evaluation Team organized by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers/JICA visited the Philippines on 13 July 2008 to evaluate the Dairy Development Enhancement Project together with the Philippine Evaluation Team.
The joint evaluation study was subjected to five (5) criteria: Relevance, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Impact and Sustainability. The results of which favorably conform to the original goal of alleviating poverty in the rural areas - increase milk production through improvement of management technology for dairy cattle and strengthening the extension support system that increase dairy farmers’ income; consistent with Japan ODA policy of mitigating regional disparities through improving agricultural productivity; and supportive of LGU’s development plans to promote livestock and milk feeding programs as additional source of income for small farmers.
The assistance of 27 Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) under the Short Term Volunteer Program highly contributed in facilitating knowledge and skills sharing among project counterparts and farmers in the field of breeding, nutrition and milk hygiene, including with those Japanese student volunteers who were on field exposure in the Philippines. PNVSCA coordinated the deployment of the JOCVs and student volunteers.
To sustain the project beyond 2008 when JOCV/JICA assistance is terminated, the National Dairy Authority (NDA) is likely to continue the project in other strategic dairy zones through training and research activities, in cooperation with the Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI). Both agencies will provide fund allocations to these continuing project activities in their respective budgets and maintain existing counterpart personnel to work in future projects aimed at promoting the local dairy industry.
As recommended, DTRI, NDA and JOCV will formulate an action plan to ensure that gains derived from the project are sustained, conduct seminar to disseminate achievements and lessons from the project during the remaining project period and for DTRI and NDA to prepare a detailed feasibility study to confirm viability of the action plan and document salient project experiences.
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Volunteer Act of 2007
President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo signed on April 10, 2007 Republic Act 9418 also known
as the “Volunteer Act of 2007” institutionalizing volunteerism as a
strategy for national development and international cooperation.
RA 9418 was spearheaded by the House Committee on Rural Development
chaired by Congressman Arrel Olaño and the Senate Committee on Social Justice,
Welfare and Development chaired by Senator Sergio Osmeña III. It
is a collaborative effort of PNVSCA, partner volunteer organizations and
advocates of volunteerism toward providing a conducive and enabling
environment for volunteering in the Philippines. RA 9418 was
published in the Official Gazette on June 11, 2007. Full text of RA
9418…
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