LEND A HAND: VOLUNTEER TO IMPROVE SOCIETY

FATIMA T. DAVID

The palace has declared Executive Order No. 5 stating the implementation of “Ambisyon Natin 2040”, a 25-year, enduring vision for development planning. President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Executive Order last October 11, 2016.

The 25-year vision anticipates a country that is wealthy and successful where no one is poor. It also visualizes Filipinos who are smart and innovative with long and healthy lives, and living in a high-trust society. Under this enduring vision, the Philippine administration will intend to eradicate hunger and poverty by 2040. All these sound wonderful but this vision will never be possible without the involvement and cooperation of everyone. Volunteerism is one of the factors that will turn this vision into reality. In the general outlook, the idea of volunteering refers to act of rendering a service by choice of or free will for the advantage of the wider community by a person, group, or organization without necessarily expecting anything in return, may it be in form of monetary gain or admiration of being a volunteer.

This has been one of the essential part of Brigada Eskwela. This year’s joint BrigadaOplan Balik Eskwela was started June 1 and will end on August 31, 2020 with a theme “Pagpapanatili ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa Kabataan”. Amidst pandemic, the government acknowledged the serious contribution that volunteering makes to build a strong and organized society. It has endorsed volunteering as the vital act of citizenship, a means for fighting social exclusion, and an important contributor to the deliverance of high excellence public services. Volunteering is very important to the sense that it can make or break the said vision.

Volunteering gives one a sense of purpose not only for oneself but also to the community he/she belongs. With people full of activities and this pandemic’s given limitations, it can be difficult to find time to volunteer. However, the advantages of volunteering are immeasurable to you, your family, and your community. The 25-year vision of our government will be very beneficial for everyone, especially for our learners, which is why each of us has a role to play to ensure the success of this plan.

-oOoThe author is teacher at San Isidro Integrated School