HELPING A GROWING COMMUNITY Over the past 36 years, Sitio Libis in Valenzuela City was once an informal settlers community. The community did not have legal rights to build structures and buildings till the Land Acquisition Project in 2010. Now, Sitio Libis can finally build structures that will help with the development of its community. In partnership with the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (TAMPEI), the CTWS class under the College of Architecture (COA) helped with the design of the boundary arch of Sitio Libis as a marker for the community. The Sitio Libis community thanked the CWTS class for their efforts, as the boundary arch symbolizes their growing community. PROJECT KATARUNGAN Project Katarungan was an initiative by the NSTP-College of Social Sciences & Philosophy (CSSP) to assist the persons deprived of liberty or PDL with their online hearings and online classes by contributing laptops and other devices. Last June 21, the NSTP classes: CWTS 2 CSSP MJKL (Prof. Daniel Mabazza), CWTS 2 CSSP MKLN1 (Asst. Prof. Jairus Diesta Espiritu), and CWTS 2 CSSP MXY (Asst. Prof. Marielle Marcaida) turned over four sets of computers (with tables and chairs) to Tanglaw Pag-asa, Bulacan’s youth rehabilitation center. As a token of appreciation, they were given flower pens hand-made by their youth. NSTP-CSSP Coordinator, Asst. Prof. Jairus Espiritu, shared the activity in his FB account and expressed his thoughts in teaching NSTP. Asst. Prof. Espiritu said “teaching NSTP reminded me of our shared humanity–how all of us are in need of each other’s help. And I do think it is from this shared humanity that our civic duties arise. We are responsible for one another because we are in each other.” By Ma. Regina Valerio
volunteerism
In an effort to spark the spirit of volunteerism and service among the new generation of Iskolar ng Bayan, various grassroots initiatives aimed at addressing sectoral issues were presented during the“Sikhay Lingkod 2: A Summit on Volunteerism”. The summit, an annual event hosted by the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Diliman Office, through the National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC), was held at the School of Economics Auditorium at the University of the Philippines Diliman last April 29, 2019. Dr. Jonalou S. Labor, NSRC Deputy Director, opened the event, urging the participants to be actively involved in any initiative as it is each UP student’s responsibility to contribute to the betterment of the Philippine society. He further extended his gratitude to all the guest speakers and partner organizations that made the event possible. Representatives from various government, non-government, and civic organizations delivered talks during the summit. Ms. Evica Vicas, Senior Volunteer Service Officer of Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) explained the nature of the government agency’s promotion and coordination among the volunteer programs in the Philippines. The agency advocates volunteerism across the nation that is dedicated, competent, and responsive to various service initiatives. PNVSCA creates partnerships with the academe, non-profit organizations, government and other service organization. Ms. Vicas encouraged the students to rise and heed the calls of volunteerism as it is each citizen’s role to be socially responsible. The Kythe Foundation is a non-profit organization aimed to provide psycho-social support to children with cancer and other chronic illness in hospitals. The volunteers of Kythe believe that the hospital is more than a place of healing, but it is also a space for fun, love, and learning. The Kythe Child Life Program’s goal is to alleviate anxiety of the patients and also provide their families with information on basic access to treatments and medicines. The volunteer program of Kythe enables individuals to personally interact with the patients through fun and learning activities through arts and crafts, bedside storytelling, and games. Donors may also be involved in different monetary assistance programs for the patients and survivors. In partnership with hospitals, […]
The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Diliman Office, in coordination with Philippine Red Cross -Quezon City Chapter (PRC-QC) and UP Red Cross Youth (UP RCY), organized “Dugo Mula sa Puso: A Blood Donation Drive” last February 27 to 28, 2019. The blood drive ran from 9 am to 6 pm at the Wellness Center, 3F Palma Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City. As part of NSTP Diliman Office’s initiative to promote volunteerism in the University, the activity provided a platform for NSTP students to volunteer through blood donation. Under the theme “Para Kanino/Saan Tumitibok ang Puso Mo?” (For Whom/What Does Your Heart Beat?) the NSTP Diliman Office and UP RCY conducted an online campaign to inform the UP community about the importance of donating blood to save lives. Guidelines for prospective blood donors was also released online. As proof that volunteerism flows in the veins of the UP Diliman students, the blood drive produced forty-nine (49) successful donors on its first day and forty (40) successful donors on its second day. The blood bags from the eighty-nine (89) successful donors were collected and stored by PRC-QC. Ninety percent of the total blood bags was stored for PRC-QC while the remaining bags went to Dugong Bayani Blood Network (4), a network of voluntary blood donors handled by UP RCY that caters to persons in need of blood. The NSTP Diliman Office extends its appreciation to everyone who participated and supported “Dugo Mula sa Puso: A Blood Donation Drive.” The active participation of the Office’s partner organizations, namely PRC-QC and UP RCY, deserves acknowledgment. With this, the NSTP Diliman Office hopes to see you in its next blood donation drive! by Erika Joy M. Navarro
Sikhay Lingkod: A Summit on Cultivating the Spirit of Volunteerism was held at the School of Economics Auditorium in the University of the Philippines Diliman on November 19, 2018. There were two sessions held: the AM session which began at 09:00 in the morning and ended at 12:00 noon, and the PM session which began at 02:00 in the afternoon and ended at 05:00 in the afternoon. Prof. Arlyn Macapinlac, Director of NSTP Diliman Office, through her welcome remarks explained the meaning of the word “sikhay” which is zeal. Mayroong pananabik,” she further said. “Kaya nung nakita ko ‘yung kanyang kahulugan, sabi ko, maganda ‘to.” There were six organizations from the civil society and a government agency, the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), who attended the Summit as speakers. They talked about volunteerism and their advocacies for the underserved communities. They also presented a variety of civic engagement strategies that UP students may venture into. Mr. Kenneth C. Siruelo of PNVSCA began with a discussion focused on the substantial impact that volunteerism poses to the society and community. He also gave an introduction on the work of PNVSCA as an office under the National Economic and Development Authority and insights on the provision stipulated under the Volunteer Act of 2007. “When you’re one of these marginalized kids, you’d think na… ‘Nakalimutan na ‘kong mundo or probably nakalimutan na ‘kong gobyerno, nakalimutan na ‘kong lipunan, pero every time na may mga taong nagri-reach out sa’kin sa lugar ko, what do you think that will make them feel?” This is how Ms. Florence Paguagan explained the motivating force behind the founding of Rainbow Confetti, Inc., an organization that seeks to empower kids through giving them the opportunity to celebrate even the smallest milestones in life. Also present during the program were, Ms. Ruthie Maye Padilla, Project Officer, and Ms. Kimberly Anne Marcelo, Environmental Education Officer, of World Wide Fund for Nature or WWF who shared their organization’s main tenets: to conserve biodiversity and to reduce the human footprint. They requested the students to take part in WWF’s Ayoko ng Plastic […]
For the year 2018, the NSTP Diliman Office, through the Academic Program Improvement Grant, undertook a project that is entitled “Synchronizing NSTP and NSRC towards the mobilization of UPD SRC.” Said project aimed to develop a mechanism that will sustain the sense of volunteerism in every NSTP student even after they have finished the course. The Office acknowledges the diversity of extension services in the University which can be tapped for the mobilization of the reservists who, in turn, can be great resources in the implementation of the colleges’ extension programs. In line with this, among the objectives of the project are: 1) to enhance NSTP programs to strengthen the capacity of the colleges offering NSTP in maximizing the potential of the students in carrying out the programs spearheaded by the extension offices; and 2) to come up with a policy recommendation to establish a mechanism for the reservists to carry on with their commitment of service. To this end, various data gathering methods were employed to acquire relevant information for the crafting of the policy recommendation. Activities and programs of the extension offices were gathered and organized into a database to predetermine if there are any volunteer needs that the reservists may fill and to evaluate if the opportunities present can provide a fulfilling and enriching experience to the students. Thereafter, an interview was conducted among extension heads who are willing to forge partnership with NSTP Diliman Office in this project. On October 29, 2018, a simultaneous workshop of clustered NSTP college coordinators with extension heads and representatives was held to explore possible programs that may strengthen the partnership between the NSTP Office and extension offices and also to discuss the recommended provisions that will form part of the policy recommendation.This policy has been created to ensure that all potential volunteers will be treated in a fair and consistent way. It should also aid in understanding what support is available to them and what they can expect from their volunteering experience. Moreover, it will serve as a guide on how to properly integrate the volunteers into the organizational structure […]