Written by: Fely M. Baday

Recognizing the significant role of the academe in promoting and advocating volunteerism for nation-building and sustainable development, Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) Executive Director Donald James D. Gawe and Ifugao State University (IFSU) President Dr. Eva Marie Codamon-Dugyon signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 17 November 2023 at the PNVSCA Office in Quezon City.

The partnership aims to mainstream volunteerism in the academe by actively engaging student organizations and alumni associations on volunteerism, promoting and advocating volunteering for development, conducting researches or studies related to volunteerism, providing technical assistance on volunteerism-related initiatives, among others.    

In the brief conversation after the MOU signing, Dr. Dugyon shared that her family was once a host of a Peace Corps volunteer and reminisced some of her “beautiful” experiences as a host.  She then expressed desire to engage an international volunteer at IFSU to enrich learning and cross-cultural experiences between and among the students, faculty members and staff, and the volunteer.

Voluntourism, cultural sharing and preservation, international linkaging were broached briefly as potential areas for IFSU’s volunteer engagement.

PNVSCA’s partnership with academic institutions is anchored on Section 12.b of RA 9418 or the Volunteer Act of 2007  which states that, “The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall integrate volunteerism as part of the curriculum in basic and higher education to raise the consciousness of the youth and develop the culture of volunteerism among the citizenry.”

#volunteering
#volunteeringfordevelopment
#mainstreamingvolunteerism

###

The author is currently a Volunteer Service Officer at the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), and PNVSCA’s Volunteerism Focal Person for the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

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