Gaspar Island Vacation Outreach

Taking a vacation recharges the body. Volunteering, meanwhile, recharges the soul. Do both, and imagine the euphoria one can get from such experience. For people who are after such feeling, then there are vacation outreach activities (or volunteer vacation programs). Vacation, since you’ll swim, eat, island hop, tour and at times, just laze around. On the other hand, the outreach part comes into picture by extending one’s gifts, talents and abilities into the locals / host community.

Now that’s what you call a win-win situation.

An example of this is the vacation outreach to Gaspar Island, Marinduque. In this event, volunteers from NCR travel all the way to bring joy to the locals, and at the same time, enjoy the beauty and tranquility of this remote island. It started years ago as a simple, private activity held by Dominic Lacastesantos and his friends. Through word of mouth and Facebook, more and more individuals, and even organizations, have signed up to join as a volunteer, or pledge donations.

This usually happens twice a year:

• Holy Week – from Holy Wednesday to Easter Sunday; and
• Last weekend of November

The Holy Week outreach coincides with the province’s celebration of the Moriones Festival, thus the volunteers also get to tour around the mainland Marinduque (specifically on the towns of Gasan and Boac) to watch and experience the feast of the “masked men”.

It’s my second time to join this year’s Holy Week outreach, which is organized this time by fellow Hands On Manila sherpa and good friend Ernan. Knowing Ernan’s knack for spearheading volunteer activities during our HOM days, I’m convinced that spending Holy Week this way again is very much worthwhile. This year’s Holy Week delegation is composed of 13 individuals, half of which are newbies. Name it, the group has it – accountants, writer, NGO professional, admin & BPO professionals, scientists, fitness instructor, and college instructors.

The 2014 Holy Week Gaspar Island volunteers
(photo credit: Norvyn “BD” Villanueva)

The author’s recruits: officemate Vic, former colleague Jhal, sister Karen and yours truly
(Photo credits: Vic Urquiola / Norvyn Villanueva)

The following are snippets of the groups’ adventures, tasks and endeavors during the three-day activity:

Day 0 (Apr 16): Departure to Marinduque

Still looking fresh. Claudine and Rose with the bus they rode from Pasay terminal to Lucena port.
(Photo by Rose Arcibal)

The RORO chance passengers. 🙂
(Photo by Jhal Fojas)

Day 1 (Apr 17)

Almost there. Ton, Rose and Claudine on the boat ride to Gaspar Island. (Photo by Rose Arcibal)

Our humble abode. (Photo by MaRose Anatalio)

The busy Gaspar Island kids. The island is teeming with tourists from Holy Thursday to Black Saturday. Shown here are the kids helping out their parents in constructing the rental cottages by weaving palm leaves, which serve as the huts’ walls and roofs. (Photo by Norvyn Villanueva)

This is how we do it. Claudine learns and helps a kid weaving the palm leaves.
(Photo by Norvyn Villanueva)

Kids warming up with the cooling down volunteers. (Photo by Vic Urquiola)

Work, work, work. Volunteers sort and pack the school supplies and giveaways for kids and families. (Photos by Norvyn Villanueva)

Sweet, gummy treats for the kids.
(Photo by Norvyn Villanueva)

Let’s play Hep Hep Hooray and relay!
(Photos by Norvyn Villanueva)

Bigger and older kids playing patintero and basketball. (Photos by Ton & Ernan)

Top: Raffy and Jhal demonstrate their balloon twisting prowess to the kids. (Photo by Norvyn Villanueva)
Bottom: Kids and volunteers post with their twisted balloons. (Photo by Rose Arcibal)

Twister game, Gaspar-style.
(Photos by Ton & Ernan)

Bonding and storytelling ’til sun down. Gaspar Island kids spend most of their free time outdoors. Watching TV is a luxury for them since Gaspar Islands doesn’t have electricity until 6pm. The island’s power, which is supplied by a private generator set, runs until 9pm. (Top photo by Rose Arcibal)

 

Day 2 (Apr 17)

Volunteers heading to Gasan and Boac for the Moriones Festival. (Photos by Vic Urquiola)

Morion galore! (Photos by Norvyn Villanueva)

Marinduque culture as seen in Boac’s National Museum, Immaculate Conception Cathedral, as well as tasted in Kusina sa Plaza. (Photos by Roj Fernandez)

Trek and freshwater dip before heading back to Gaspar Island. (Photos by Rose Arcibal and Vic Urquiola)

 

Day 3 (Apr 18)

Island hopping to Baltasar Island and tour of the abandoned Tres Reyes lighthouse. (Photos by Norvyn Villanueva, Rose Arcibal and Roj Fernandez)

Outreach culmination. Art contests were held, loot bags and school supplies are distributed to Gaspar Island kids, starting from Day Care to College students. (Photos by Norvyn Villanueva)

 

 

 

Servathon 2011: My fifth time around

For five years, it has become my personal habit to join the Hands On Manila’s Servathon as one of their Sherpas. And this year’s event is the largest one to date, 2011 being HOM’s 10th year.

Just a primer: Servathon, coined from the phrase Service Marathon, is an annual HOM event wherein for a half-day, employee-volunteers from 20 or more participating corporations simultaneously render their time and resources to their chosen project for a beneficiary/partner organization. The projects include cleaning up of public parks, painting and refurbishing of public school classrooms, gardening, construction of public restrooms, storytelling, and a lot more. The event culminates with a luncheon program and awarding ceremonies for all the participating corporations.

As Servathon is quite a big event to be handled alone by the HOM staff, they assign volunteers from their pool to each group of corporate volunteers to serve as the group’s Sherpas. These volunteers represent HOM, orienting and coordinating the corporate volunteers onsite about HOM and their project assignments, and ensure they complete their project in the allotted time of about four hours. It can be viewed this way: the corporate volunteers do most of the dirty work; while the Sherpas do some of the errands, documentation, timekeeping and ushering at the culminating program.

For this year’s Servathon, I was assigned to work with the volunteers from Value Quest Securities Corp. at DEOS, Las Piñas City. Their task is to do a mural painting of DEOS’ facade and classroom walls. Joining me as Sherpas were my fellow Better Days volunteers Sierra and Janeth, who were much more excited as it was their first time to join Servathon.

Our Servathon 2011 project site

The Value Quest employee-volunteers

During the pre-Servathon onsite orientation

Sierra, me and Janeth at DEOS

The Value Quest volunteers getting started with the mural painting

The kid volunteers working their way with the classroom walls

A kid volunteer prepares for the handprint painting

Finishing touches at the facade

Finishing touches

As always, it was nice to see the corporate volunteers enjoy the activity, giving life to what used to be plain walls. DEOS volunteers, students and even passersby can’t help but admire the newly-colored facade and classrooms.

After the activity, we then all moved to SMX for the culminating event and lunch. HOM’s celebrity volunteer Marc Nelson again hosted the program, this time with his TARA buddy Rovilson Fernandez. It was a star-studded occasion, with performances from Top Suzara, Markki Stroem and even a surprise number by Diether Ocampo. The most exciting part for me, though, was when my beloved Better Days elderly danced onstage with their Lady Gaga-Wondergirls medley number. I can’t help but feel proud for them, having them perform their award-winning number in front of hundreds of people.

The Servathon 2011 logo

TheBetter Days elderly starting the program with their Lady Gaga dance number

Still with their dance number, this time in the tune of Wondergirls' Nobody

The Servathon 2011 DEOS group with Marc

Backstage with Marc and Rovilson

The Servathon 2011 DEOS Sherpas

The Servathon 2011 Sherpas

* Thanks to Sierra Manrique, Janeth Noroño, Rey Belen and Ms. Donna Viernes for the photos.

My Sweet Birthday at Better Days

Better Days volunteers, myself included, can’t help but feel overjoyed every time we get to spend our birthdays with the elderly. Perhaps, these wonderful bunch of old people exude a certain air of youthfulness (despite arthritis bouts and graying hair) that can just make you realize that indeed, age is just nothing but a number.

Last month was my turn to have my special day at Better Days, my third year to do so actually. And since I enjoy making cupcakes, I decided to celebrate my birthday by having a cupcake-decorating activity with the Better Days elderly and volunteers.

Armed with wire whisks, mixing bowls and plastic bags as makeshift pastry bags, the elderly and volunteers prepared different kinds of cake frostings: royal icing (egg whites); whipped cream; and butter icing; and piped them into choco cupcakes and donuts.

As always, the elderly and volunteers were uber-enthusiastic with their creations, sprinkling colored candies, drawing spirals and star shapes to pastries here and there.

I’m looking forward to my next birthday at Better Days. 🙂

* A very big thanks to Ms. Kaye and Doc Joan for the photos, the beautiful ladies of MMFCI for the materials, Ria, ND and the rest of HOM, Krispy Kreme and the ever-enthusiastic volunteers who joined the activity: Mich, Jing, Tita Nenette, fellow birthday girl Claire and Ivy.

An “Egg”-citing Birthday Celebration

One of the moments that I enjoy witnessing during our monthly Better Days gathering is a volunteer’s celebration of his or her birthday with the elderly. Just as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, birthday celebrations like these gives a strong sense of fulfillment, a sense of gratefulness from the reason that one not just have lived long enough, but also have cared deeply to share his or her life to others.

Few weeks ago just after Easter, volunteers Claud and Mich have chosen to spend a special Saturday with the fun-loving elderly and other volunteers through an Easter egg decorating activity. (This art session, by the way, is Claud’s brain child). Once again, the elderly’s artistic creativity has been showcased. Sequins, yarn strands, glue bottles, and colored pens have been scattered everywhere, as the lolos and lolas make sure that their Easter egg creation wins the top prize (Yes, it is actually a contest). Meanwhile, the other volunteers who came were also delighted to help the elderly shape up their masterpieces. Six oldies emerged as winners, and the session was capped with slices of chocolate cake and gift-giving courtesy of our birthday girls.

And now I’m excited to celebrate again my own birthday with these elderly and fellow volunteers. As for the activity, I still don’t know, but I look forward to this coming month. I can only hope that that special day will bring cheers to everyone, volunteers and elderly alike.

My Life as a Sherpa

The following is a piece that I have written last January 2011 in preparation for The Pitch 2011, which was held during the 21^st IAVE World Volunteer Conference at Singapore. Nope, I didn’t deliver this during the contest. This has just served as an inspiration for me to perform well during the presentation. J

Volunteering is already a fulfilling and heart warming duty. But guiding and helping other volunteers experience their own joys from serving is much better. It gives you a sense of nobility. That is something that I achieved ever since I became a Sherpa of Hands On Manila’s Better Days recreational support project for the elderly.

Being a Sherpa means that you have to become a project manager, creative director, events planner, coordinator, and documentor, all rolled into one. Well in my case, where the elderly that I work with loves dancing, also a choreographer.

A Sherpa learns to be more flexible and resourceful because one has to come up with fresh activity ideas for both the elderly and fellow volunteers. That’s why aside from dancing along Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, the elderly of Better Days painted their own portraits, created their own scrapbooks and made their customized colognes. Patience is also a big lesson, so you may be able to bear with all their quirks and personality differences.

Despite all the challenges in handling a volunteer project, being a Sherpa is still very much rewarding. You’ll be able to go to different places, meet people of varying backgrounds and get immersed in their own way of living.

I can say that as a Sherpa, you do not only gain a deeper understanding of the lives of other people, be it a beneficiary or a fellow volunteer. Rather, being a Sherpa allows you to recognize the giver, mentor and helper within you. That despite of limitations, you are very much capable of contributing something for the betterment of the society.

Drawing and Painting Galore

I admit that I don’t have a close affinity with colored pencils, watercolors, oil pastels, paint brushes and the canvas. And it was quite ironic, considering that my Dad makes a living  and my sister earned her college degree by using them.

However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the arts. I realized that painting and volunteering are in fact  a good combo when I participated in several painting projects.

Classroom Painting and Refurbishing with Coca Cola at Nueve de Pebrero Elementary School, Mandaluyong City

A Hands On Manila 2007 Servathon project, several Coca Cola employees helped improved the learning environment of the students of Nueve de Pebrero Elementary School by repainting their classrooms. I’ve had three firsts for this project: my first time to work as a Servathon Sherpa; my first time to paint walls; and my first time to paint something that is not art-class required.;)

I actually wasn’t able to paint a whole classroom since as a Sherpa, the main task is to assist the Coke volunteers in their needs to perform and complete their projects (e.g. ensure all volunteers have paint brushes and access to paints). But despite of it, the activity was still fun and fulfilling, never mind the hard-to-remove, creme-colored paint stains on our hands and jeans.

The Coke Volunteers at Work during the 2007 Servathon

Better Days’ Elderly Art Session

Better Days’ October 2009 activity had the elderly express their aspirations through painting and drawing.  This was actually a therapeutic activity as this happened a month after the devastating typhoon Ondoy which flooded several towns in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon, including the areas where the elderly reside.

It’s good to see the elderly’s artistic side. I even remember one of them saying that it’s as if she was transported back to her high school art class when she drew her dream house. Through that activity, I learned that art knows no age and art sessions are indeed a stress-reliever for the elderly.

The Better Days elderly doing their masterpieces

Mural Painting at Miraculous Medal Family Center

Held last March 2010, former HOM President Ms. Wynn Wynn Ong celebrated her birthday through a mural painting of the Miraculous Medal Multi-Purpose Hall with her family and friends. Since the activity was a first for Miraculous Medal Family Center, the elderly and myself were also enticed to paint flowers and seashells on the underwater- and garden-themed painting session.

Better Days' Nanay Gala painting a flower during the mural painting session

B-day = Birthday @ Better Days

A July 5, 2009 repost.

Celebrating birthdays makes one appreciate the breadth of his or her existence. Add on volunteerism and sharing, and one will get a strong sense of fulfillment, being much more grateful that he or she not just have lived long enough, but also have cared deeply to share his or her life to others.

June was another exciting month for Better Days elder and volunteers, as I and fellow sherpa Mildred celebrated our birthdays at Better Days. Once again, the party-loving lolos and lolas have never failed to surprise the volunteers, old and new alike, on their very gamely and creative participation on the prepared parlor games: rosaries lined up on the floor for The Longest Line; standing on foot while carrying the other on a piggyback ride for the Paper Dance; and bandage-like tissue paper wraps for the Mummy Relay. The elderly were then treated afterwards with a delicios snack, an acoustic session, and gift-giving from Mildred and other volunteers.

Getting gifts during birthdays makes one happy. But sharing gifts and blessings during birthdays brings more meaning to one’s life. As the old adage had said: it’s better to give than to receive.

(Photos of the June 2009 Birthday @ Better Days can be seen here)

Better Days in Antipolo

A repost from April 19, 2009.

The fourth of April had never been the same for the elderly, volunteers and sherpas of the Better Days – MMFCI project as they took part on the first-ever Better Days – Grey & Free joint activity held at Kanlungan ni Maria Home for the Aged followed by a field trip to the MMLDC Aviary.

It was a fun morning at Kanlungan ni Maria as the elders of the said projects gamely participated to the different activities prepared by the volunteers and sherpas for them. Both groups found a common ground in feats such as Bingo and the well-known Wowowee game “Hep hep hooray”. Aside from the said contests, the joint activity also showcased the talents of the participants, wherein the Better Days elders presented their latest dance steps while some of the Grey and Free elders poured their hearts out in their poem and song renditions. The program ended with a heartwarming moment where the Better Days elders shared their tokens of gratitude to the KNM residents.

The fun continued later in the afternoon as the Better Days-MMFCI elders were accompanied by the volunteers and sherpas to a surprise field trip in the MMLDC Aviary. Volunteers and elders alike were able to witness the Aviary’s “star” birds perform their acts on the MMLDC Bird Show as well as enjoy their photo ops with them. It was then followed by a Bantay Kalikasan tour wherein the participants saw the other bird species while marveling at the scenic MMLDC grounds. The tour capped off with a sumptous snack and giving of token bags to the elders.

What started as a desire of the Better Days-MMFCI elders to learn more about their counterparts at Kanlungan ni Maria has stemmed to a memorable event for all those who helped and participated in this joint project. It just shows that despite aging, an unwavering interest and curiosity can lead to different wonderful places and experiences.

(Images courtesy of Tintin Clemente. You may click here for more photos.)

Kapantay at Kasali: 2008 Street Children’s Festival at Museo Pambata

Originally posted in my personal blog site last February 9, 2008.

The following pics were taken during the 2008 Street Children’s Festival held last January 28 at the Museo Pambata. A celebration of the Filipino street children’s rights and welfare, a lot of kids were treated with a day full of goodies and activities such as magic show, story-telling sessions, medical and dental missions, and even beauty makeovers.

Just like the kids, I also very much enjoyed the event. Aside from the fact that it was my first time to visit the Museo Pambata (at last, nakapunta na rin…), it was also very fulfilling to take part in making the kids happy, even if it was as simple as helping in food distribution. Makita mo nga lang yung isang bata na nasiyahan sa pagkaing iniabot mo sa kanya, nakakagaan na ng loob, paano pa kaya kung daan-daang bata yung binigyan mo? Even if some kids are getting into our nerves because of being too makulit, it’s still worth it. After all, kung tayo ngang mas nakakatanda e may taglay na kakulitan, sila pa kayang mga bata?

Credits to Claire and Viva for some of the photos here.

My first volunteering experience at Saturday Academy

Originally posted at my personal blog site last January 2007, this is my account of my first volunteering experience at Saturday Academy, a Hands On Manila educational program for the boys of Pangarap Shelter.

 

Just a week ago, I had started serving as a volunteer. At long last, it was indeed a good step in fulfilling the things that I have long wanted to do. Actually, I have even thought of it as a New Year’s resolution way back a year ago, yet due to some circumstances and major career adjustments, I wasn’t able to push it through. OK, so much for the New Year’s resolutions, but anyway, after dancing “Boom Tarat” in an 80’s outfit last Christmas party and so much more, I’m glad I have it started already.

The activity was supposed to be a study tutorial for kids and young adults who are residents of the foundation’s shelter. However, I was informed by the head volunteer that instead of the usual session, they will be conducting that day a jobhunting workshop for the kids who are going to have their OJT’s. And so I went, excited and quite nervous since I was a bit late (call time was 2pm and I was still on the road looking for the place at the said time). How are the kids going to be like? Are they like my former students? Or older? Or younger? Will I meet a lot of newbie volunteers like me? Questions like that roam inside my head while I was looking for the place along Taft Ave. Good thing I have found the shelter easily. As I went in, I was calmed by the warm welcome of Kuya Ed who was one of the residents’ guardians, as well as some of the kids who were playing along the grounds. “Kuya, sino sya?” One of the kids asked. As Kuya Ed introduced me to them, I saw smiles on their faces, not the mischievous ones, thank God, and I somehow felt relieved.

I climbed to the workshop hall and met the other volunteers. There were just three of them, me being the only new one. And so the workshop started. I haven’t done much during the session ‘coz the facilitator, Ms. Zarina, have been such an expert in that field that she was able to handle the whole discussion alone. I had just spent most of the time listening to the lectures, talking and munching (Thanks, Ms. Bel!) with the other volunteers.

What I’ve considered as the best part of that day was the mock interviews. After the lectures, we are being asked by Ms. Zarina to interview the kids so that they practice what they learned during the discussions. And so I assume being the role of an HR interviewer, asking questions like “What are your strengths & weaknesses?”, “Would you like to be assigned in places as far as Tawi-Tawi?”, and others. And I got some answers that were quite unexpected. Well anyway, at that time I just felt what my former interviewers have felt when I was on the hotseat during those jobhunting days.

So the day ended, meeting new people and getting new experiences. Right now, I’m looking forward to another day there. Or perhaps, try other activities that they offer for people like me. I’m just excited to give something back to others.