Written by: John Vincent M. Mañosca
The central and regional offices of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and its attached agencies convened on 27 September 2022 for the 1st BayaNEDAhan Forum for CY 2022. The event which was organized by the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) was conducted online via Zoom Conference.
BayaNEDAhan, which combines “NEDA” and “bayanihan”, is a program by the aforementioned agency which aims to inculcate the culture of volunteerism among the employees of NEDA and its attached agencies, namely: Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI), Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), Public-Private Partnership Center (PPPC), Tariff Commission (TC), and Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM). It is envisioned that the BayaNEDAhan will inspire other government agencies to organize a corps of volunteers among their employees and thus promoting public sector volunteerism.
In the welcome message of Usec. Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos, Undersecretary of NEDA’s Regional Development Group, he emphasized that, “It may be oblivious to some of us, but we should all be aware of the fact that we are changing lives through volunteerism…We should all live out the spirit of volunteerism, because as a collectivist society, we only have each other, and we must at least try to get out of our way to enact change, even in the littlest ways possible.”
The welcome message was followed by the sharing of good practices of volunteer programs by four NEDA organizations.
First up was the Organization of NEDA Employees (ONE) Region II’s Adopt-a-Learner Project (ALP), where volunteer teachers tutored select Grade 3 students during weekends for a span of a few months, presented by ONE II Secretary Mr. Joel T. Unciano. He said that his organization wanted to come up with a program that is timely and relevant, given the struggles brought by the pandemic. Besides the actual tutoring of the students by the volunteer teachers, ONE II also provided them with supplementary support including school supplies and grocery packages to make the beneficiaries’ experiences more realized. ALP bagged the first prize for BayaNEDAhan Best Project recognition. The project was also recognized by the Department of Education.
Ms. Kareen Suarez of ONE Region VII talked about their own volunteer program, the Bringing Joy to Children’s Joy Foundation Amidst the Pandemic. Ms. Suarez noted that the pandemic stalled their continual support for the beneficiaries, however, it did not stop them to continue making a difference on the children’s lives. She also noted that the program was designed not just to grant children’s wishes, but also to make them feel the Christmas spirit. They also assured that more similar initiatives will be conducted in the coming years. This program bagged the second place award during the BayaNEDAhan Best Project contest.
Angelo Paolo Aboboto from ONE MIMAROPA talked on Isang Puso, Isang Handog, their own version of an Adopt-a-School program. This is an outreach program servicing the Mangyan community in Sitio Malmis in Oriental Mindoro. Mr. Aboboto noted that ONE MIMAROPA has been doing this program since 2012, adding that the program was appreciated so much by the barangay that a resolution was signed, recognizing February 14 of each year as the program’s foundation day. Mr. Aboboto noted that some of their beneficiaries are already in high school, which drives them to keep on continuing their program.
For ONE I, Ms. Fatima Ross Perez talked about Namnama ti Panagrang-ay Cooperative CSR where they identified far-flung schools that have limited and scarce resources. ONE I initially started the program with the donation of used office equipment and pieces of furniture to the selected school beneficiary. As the program evolved, they now provide school supplies to the students and even share skills and labor in the repair and maintenance of school buildings.
The forum ended with the closing message of PNVSCA Executive Director Donald James Gawe. “A simple ‘thank you’ is not enough to express how grateful we are for all of your volunteering efforts”, he said. “I hope we continue this forum so we can share our good practices.” ED Gawe later on expressed that the bayanihan spirit is indeed alive and well within the NEDA community.
The forum was moderated by Ms. Claire Pantoja, Senior Volunteer Service Officer of PNVSCA. A total of 65 persons including PNVSCA staff, representatives from the NEDA Central and Regional Offices, and NEDA attached agencies participated in the three-hour long event.
The author is currently the Volunteerism for Development, Communication and Advocacy Program (V4DCAP) Officer of the 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.