Knowing that food is the basic need at the height of the pandemic, Jem’s team distributed poultry meats and various vegetables to a number of low-income families they coined as ‘Super Nanay’ and ‘Super Tatay’.
Jem’s community projects are truly admirable as it benefitted several, if not all, sectors in the society. This is manifested by the success of the FeedLove project and Pantawid ng Pag-ibig program where hot meals and ready to eat foods were provided for the children and senior citizens, respectively.
Jem, who won the Miss Camalaniugan title in 2013, is consistent in her advocacy in reaching out those in the marginalized sector. Without a second thought, she immediately launched a relief operation, together with other NGOs she’s connected with, to help the hundreds of families affected by typhoon Ulysses in November 2020.
Far from the society’s view of a beauty queen who aces the runway, she did the other way around as she braved the rain, slippery pavements and floodwater just to bring relief packs to those severely affected by the mass flooding in the municipalities of Alcala, Amulung, Lal-lo, Camalaniugan and in Tuguegarao City.
Jem and her team did not stop there. Seeing the need to provide more help especially in the rehabilitation of the typhoon-victims’ houses, her team provided a number of housing materials to identified beneficiaries assessed as severely affected through the assistance of Tuguegarao City councilor Atty. Marjorie Martin-Chan.
Jem’s soft spot for the children shone brightly during relief operations. She made sure that the little ones received medicines, vitamins and other essential needs both during the aftermath of Ulysses and the height of COVID-19 pandemic.
She selflessly shares her time providing stress debriefing activities such as parlor games and mentoring kids in their barangay. She never failed to encourage the children to live productively and never to be discouraged because of their present situations.
In 2020, her contributions to uplift her fellow youth, empower her community folks and reach out to the needy took center stage after she was awarded as one of the pioneer awardees of the Top 20 Most Outstanding Youth Leaders organized by the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation in Cagayan.
Jem became and still one of the most sought-after youth leaders for interview both by the local and national media entities because of her many initiated projects.
In May 2020, no less than Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar personally interviewed Jem during the former’s Network Briefing program aired over PTV and PCOO’s attached agencies. She was also personally interviewed by PIA Director General Ramon Cualoping in his program Mediaman’s Mancave Podcast.
Jem proudly dedicated all these achievements and accolades to her former colleagues in barangay Sapping who diligently supported her in all her endeavors. These awards and milestones continue to inspire her to do better and think of more ways to help the marginalized, underprivileged and vulnerable sectors of society.
She believes that one must have an intense commitment and dedication to keep community service moving and fulfilling. Needless to say, she is one of the living manifestations that true community service knows no age, no gender, and no specific clientele to serve. (ALM/MDCT/PIA Region 2)