The Quezon City government, on orders of Mayor Herbert Bautista, is now encouraging scholars and youth in the city to render voluntary bayanihan work not only in productive community endeavors, but also, in relief operations in times of calamities and other emergency situations.
For education scholars-students, the city government will be harnessing their voluntary services in providing tutorials to pre-schoolers enrolled in the city’s day-care program during the summer break while criminology students will be fielded to assist in the city government’s peacekeeping efforts.
In preparation for the rainy season, the city will also mobilize scholars for clean up drives, tree-planting activities, repacking of relief goods and other community development programs.
“What the city government is doing is empower its youth to become more productive members of the community while taking advantage of the advancement in technology,” the Mayor said in a speech during a special youth Labor Day gathering, dubbed “Bayanihan at Balik Serbisyo Tayo sa QC,” at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
Sponsored by the Scholarship and Youth Development Program (SYDP) and the Community Relations Office (CRO), the activity featured, among others, the 1st QC Volunteer Management Conference, a unity walk, a volunteers’ fair, street dance competition, concert and fireworks display.
During the occasion, the city government also gave recognition to outstanding youth serving institutions, volunteer groups and program partners of the SYDP, the office that was primarily created to extend financial assistance to deserving students among the underprivileged families of Quezon City who wanted to pursue their college education.
The event also forms part of the city’s Diamond Jubilee celebration.
In September 2014, Mayor Bautista ordered the formation of a QC Volunteer and Citizenship Desk (QCVCD) in a bid to harness available human resources in the community for voluntary services in various developmental undertakings that will be launched by the QC government.
An executive order has been issued by Mayor Bautista to formalize the establishment of the QCVCD, which is more popularly known as the “Bayanihang Bayan sa QC” program.
The city’s volunteer desk shall be responsible in keeping the profiles and database of all available QC volunteers who can be tapped and mobilized by the city government to render voluntary work in productive community endeavors, and also, in relief operations during times of calamities, disasters, emergencies and other similar occurrences.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum circular 2013-27 provides the rationale and components of the Volunteer and Citizenship Program. (Precy)
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
