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Written by: Alyssa Villa

PNVSCA’s Luzon team conducted consultation meetings with Batangas Province’s development stakeholders to discuss its effort to upscale its Mainstreaming of Volunteerism as a development strategy from April 11 to 12, 2022.

Photo taken during the meeting with Mayor Faye E. Baretto on April 11, 2022.

The series of consultations started with a meeting with Municipal Government of Cuenca, LGU Batangas. Mayor Faye E. Baretto assured the LGU’s and her personal support on the promotion of volunteerism as a development strategy. Being an educator herself, she said that the education sector has a big role to play in molding young minds on volunteerism.

As the clearinghouse for matters pertaining to international volunteer services, PNVSCA visited on April 11, 2022 the Agriculture and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Projects of the Municipal Government of Cuenca, Batangas which are proposed to be assisted by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV).

In the photo left to right: Ms. Alyssa Villa (PNVSCA), Ms. Teresita Bahom (PNVSCA), Ms. Jasmin Lago (MAO), PNVSCA Executive Director Donald Gawe, Mr. Ismael Arada (DRRMO), Ms. Kamille Atienza (PNVSCA), Ms. Diosita Mendoza (PNVSCA).

The site validation which aimed to assess the readiness of the Local Partner Institution (LPI), was venue for LGU Cuenca to orient PNVSCA on their projects to be assisted by JICA-JOCV and for all parties involved to have a common understanding on how the assistance can be maximized whilst providing the volunteers with conducive working environment and necessary support to achieve an impactful volunteer engagement.

At the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist.

Mr. Ismael Arada, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator and concurrent Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Officer and Ms. Jasmin Marie Lago, Municipal Agriculturist, responded to the questions of the team on their readiness to support the possible volunteers and showed the work spaces that can be used by the volunteers.

The visit to the municipality also opened-up the conversation on possible areas of partnership with LGU Cuenca in the promotion and mainstreaming of volunteerism.

At the Batangas State University on April 11, 2022. ©AVP

In another step toward mainstreaming volunteerism, PNVSCA together with the Australian Volunteers Program (AVP), visited the Batangas State University to renew partnership and explore new opportunities for potential collaborations.

Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo, President of Batangas State University, together with his staff, gave a warm welcome to PNVSCA & AVP. The consultation with BatStateU tackled the integration of volunteerism as part of the curriculum to raise the consciousness of the youth and develop the culture of volunteerism among the citizenry, engaging the alumni associations, and conduct of researches among others. Dr. Ronquillo is the current president of the Philippine Association of State Colleges and Universities and a member of the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board of PNVSCA.

Similarly, the consultation with the Provincial Government of Batangas, led by Ms. Fredesvinda R. Mendoza of the Provincial Assistance for Community Development Office (PACDO) and attended by key members of different departments, paved the way to promising areas for collaborations in promoting and encouraging volunteering in government programs and projects.

With Ms. Fredesvinda R. Mendoza of PACDO on April 12, 2022. ©AVP

Discussions and insights were shared on how recognition of volunteers must be strengthened or intensified, possibility of PGO Batangas to become a resource center/local learning hub, as well as on how the PACDO can serve and become like the PNVSCA/extension for volunteering opportunities in Batangas (As Batangas is the only one who has a PACDO among the other LGUs).

Through these site visits and consultations, the Agency aspires to increase awareness and appreciation on the importance of volunteerism as a cross-cutting strategy and a tool to achieve local and national development goals as well as mainstreaming volunteerism as a development strategy.

With the Provincial Government of Batangas – PACDO & Key Members, PNVSCA, and AVP on April 12, 2022. ©AVP

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The author is currently the VSO II of the Program Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PCMED), Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.

Visit PNVSCA website (www.pnvsca.gov.ph) and PNVSCA Facebook (facebook.com/PNVSCA) for other stories and information on volunteering.