DIMATALING, Zamboanga del Sur (PIA) – Hundreds of individuals and families in this town enjoyed a variety of free services during the Bayanihan Day.
This activity is in a collaborative effort led by the provincial government, the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), and the local government of Dimataling. It forms part of the celebration of the National Volunteers Month, which aims to ignite the spirit of volunteerism of the Filipinos through the conduct of service caravans by government and private sector professionals who are supported by their management.
The event saw active participation from various public and private agencies.
Each participating agency offered a variety of services to the community. This includes the distribution of fruit-bearing seedlings, food packs, registration for national ID, and kits for persons with disabilities and senior citizens. There were also free consultations and medicines for those in need.
Esterlina Dangos, a local resident, expressed gratitude for the government services reaching their town.
“Malipayon ko nga ang mga serbisyo sa gobyerno niabot dinhi sa Dimataling. Gibati ko ug tumang kalipay bisag kapoy, enjoy man (I am happy that government services reached Dimataling. I feel great joy, even though I’m tired, it’s enjoyable),” Dangos said.
Mayor Avelino Yrauda extended his gratitude to the provincial government and partner agencies for conducting the Bayanihan Day and service caravans in Dimataling, emphasizing the positive impact it brought on the community.
Zamboanga del Sur, chosen for its abundance of community-based volunteers, hopes the Bayanihan Day will catalyze the institutionalization of volunteerism as a strategy for development in the region. (RVC/EDT/HTB/PIA9-Zamboanga del Sur)
The initiative aligns with the NVM theme for 2023, “Igniting Volunteer-led Innovation for Future Growth and Social Transformation.” Volunteers, including grade 10 student Adley Kiril M. Dacula, expressed fulfillment in contributing to those in need.
“I choose to be a volunteer because I want to help other people kasi marami po ang nangangailangan, and I want to use my abilities to help those people,” Dacula stated.
“It feels fulfilling kasi I was able to help the people who are in need. I can see man pud sa ilang smiles that I was able to help them (It feels fulfilling because I was able to help the people who are in need. I can also see in their smiles that I was able to help them),” he added, sharing his experience in giving volunteering services in the area.
