Koronadal City, South Cotabato – To continually improve coordination and implementation of the national volunteer service program in the country, the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) conducted a virtual consultation meeting with NEDA XII Search for Outstanding Volunteers (SOV) focal coordinators and the members of the Regional SOV Committee (RSC) XII on March 21, 2022.
Representatives from RSC XII member agencies, CHED XII, CSC XII, DILG XII, NEDA XII and PNVSCA attended the meeting.
Ms. Danica Pacardo and Ms. Maribel Larracochea of PNVSCA steered the discussion leading to the assessment of the conduct of annual SOV and the Search for Outstanding COVID-19 Volunteers (SOCV) in the region.
The assessment centered on the areas of 1) promotion for the yearly Search for Outstanding Volunteers; 2) nomination process; 3) selection criteria on the prospective nominees; 4) selection and validation of regional/national winners; 5) awarding; 6) timeline for the entire search process; and 7) administrative and financial support for the conduct of the yearly search.
In promoting volunteerism, Ms. Ma. Lulu E. Valencia, Chief Economic Development Specialist of the Development Research Division of NEDA XII articulated the concerns of former SOV nominees and winners for the creation of the network of regional and local volunteers per area/province/city and the conduct of regional volunteerism summit as a way of promoting and popularizing the concept of volunteerism and the conduct of the annual SOV. The support of the Philippine Information Agency is also critical in SOV promotion and advocacy, among others.
On whether the group is amenable to open nomination, which means, a nominee could be nominated either through self-nomination or by a nominating entity, the response was affirmative, for after all, there is a validation process where the nominee’s credentials are checked and affirmed.
During the meeting, NEDA XII extended its profound thanks to CSC XII, CHED XII, DILG XII, PIA XII, TESDA XII and to Private Sector Representative Jose Ronie Mondragon for their untiring support and active cooperation in the success of the annual Search for Outstanding Volunteers.
Section 2 of RA 9418 known as Volunteer Act of 2007 state that the inculcation of volunteerism as a way of life shall rekindle in every Filipino the time-honored tradition of bayanihan to foster social justice, solidarity and sustainable development. (Evie A Cabulanan, NEDA XII-DRD)