Volunteers from various sectors and individuals gathered at NDDU Auditorium on June 20, 2012 to share their best practices on volunteerism for peace and development.
Culture of Peace (COP)
“Propagation of COP is everyone’s shared responsibilities”, says Ms. Lambac of Kalinaw Sarangani. A home grown module includes deeper understanding of history, self transformation, conflict resolutions, etc.
Col. Espuelas of 73rd IB found COP trainings helpful in helping solve the complex problem of insurgency (which is usually rooted to socio economic problems) in Mindanao. This transformed their soldiers as peace advocates, transforming the camp to a “Peace Camp” and engaged in various voluntary works from donating blood to helping in emergency reliefs, medical missions and construction of infrastructures.
Addressing Children’s Nutritional Deficiency
Dr. Cagape had been advocating the right nutrition for the children in his various feeding programs in the far flung area of SOCSARGEN. Feeding the children will always be the priority activity in his volunteerism, working side by side with his medical mission and some livelihood programs.
Other best practices includes propagation of “Kasfala” and Barangay Justice Advocates for restorative justice, Tindahan sa Kalinaw, Child Friendly Activities, Interfaith/Intercultural faith dialogues, gardening, bridging the gaps of MILF combatants to a multi-donor agencies,
Attributes/Learnings from Volunteerism.
To be a volunteer, you have to the 4Ps: – Be programmatic, Be professional, Be patient, Be a peace advocate as shared by Mussolini Sinsuat Lidasan of Life of a UNV in Peace Development.
Ernesto Casiple shared that best volunteer must be S.T.R.O.N.G. Being (S)teadfast, (T)rustworthy, (R)eliable, (O)ptomistic, (N)oble, and (G)otchy.
NDDU student volunteer shared his best practices as a volunteer:
1. Time management. Balancing studies and volunteering activities
2. Creative and being simple as funds on activities are limited
3. “Food on the Table” – even simple food bring volunteers together across cultures
4. Having passion and commitment
5. Smile
A workshop was conducted to make resolutions: “Future we want as volunteers for peace and
development”. Below were some output:
1. Making community productive
2. Shaping a strong family foundation
3. Developing culture of peace through sports – football
4. Education and resource utilization and livelihood program for remote communibities
5. Promote good governance – accountable, responsive, transparent
6. Preservation of natural resources, responsible waste management
7. No religious discrimination
8. Gender responsive
9. Give education to Indigenous People
10. Discourage bullying
11. Re-use, Reduce, Recycle
12. Personal conversion
13. Continue the strong alliance among volunteers to sustain peace and development initiatives in SOCSARGEN
14. Youth and woman empowerment – capacity building
15. Education for the out of school youth
16. Discover the spirit of volunteerism in every individual
17. Continue planting trees
18. Develop habitat for animals
Father Angelo Buenavides of SOCSARGEN Peace Network challenged the volunteers on the recent reality of “comodification” of values .
“If we are to speak. Our words must come from the bottom of our hearts. My dear young people the crisis of our time is not so much that we do not have choices in life but we choose not our heart’s deepest desire. The result we become sad people. We choose what is dictated by the market. There is a commodification of our desire.
Volunteerism is our contribution to rediscovering our heart’s deepest desire. Thought we give ourselves for the service of our people and nation, volunteerism help us also discover the joy of service, the romance with life, the fire of passion that makes life worth engaging and living.
Yes, to be a volunteer means Masaya na mahirap, mahirap na Masaya. In the creative tension of our giving, we contribute to the building of the soul of our nation.”, says Fr. Angel.
He shared and sung a a tagalong song “Hamon ng Panahon” (Challenge of the Times).
Sa mundo ngayon di tunay ang ngiti
Turing sa bawat isa’y isa lamang katunggali
Ano ang hahawakan, ano ang susundan
Sino ang gagawa ng unang hakbang
Ang hamon ng panahon ngayon nasa ating harapan
Naghihintay ng isang tugon, nagpapakita ng daan
Piliin ang pag-ibig, buhayin ang pag-asa
At mula sa ating sarili baguhin ang mundo ngayon
Bawat isa sa atin may nasang marating
Kalayaang magbigay mataas ng hangarin
Ano ang pipiliin, ano ang susundan
Sino ang gagawa ng unang hakbang
Mayor Darlene Antonito of General Santos City shared her hope that peace is still achievable in Mindanao through respect and giving importance to each other, putting important value on peace, knowing that everyone has a vital role to make things better and working for peace passionately.
Notre Dame of Marbel University and NDDU Peace Center hosted the workshop. Ms. Princess Fernandez was the master of ceremony.
Abe Akiko of United Nations Volunteers (UNV) spearheaded the event which ended in the signing of resolutions for the future the volunteers want for peace and development and will be sent to an on-going conference at Rio+ 20 in Brazil.
Related details can be read on: http://pec.nddu.edu.ph/nddu-peace-education-center-in-partnership-with-unv-philippines/
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