For the past fifteen years, iVolunteer Philippines has continued to work on their dream of having every Filipino be involved in volunteerism. Every December, iVolunteer holds DestiNasyon, an avenue for Filipinos to find their advocacy. It is also an event celebrating International Volunteer Day, a day that recognizes the contributions of volunteers.
This year, DestiNasyon, co-presented with PHINMA, De La Salle University, PHINMA-DLSU Center for Business and Society, and Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, was held as a two-day event from December 6 to 7 in two locations, namely Manila and Davao. This year’s DestiNasyon anchored its framework on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Through various activities, volunteers got a peek into the world of the development sector to discover and deepen their understanding of their own advocacy. This year’s DestiNasyon anchored its framework on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Manila – December 6 & 7
Manila kicked off the program on December 6 at De La Salle University with an introduction to volunteer basics and an SDGs overview. Participants got to choose their own track by selecting between the three pillars of SDGs – People, Planet, and Prosperity. Participants got to engage with various NGOs including the Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Greenpeace, Masungi Georeserve, Project Pearls, Kythe Foundation, The Storytelling Project, Gawad Kalinga, MapaKalidad.ph, World Fair Trade Organization, Saving Strays, and iVolunteer Philippines.
On its second day, the focus shifted to the fourth pillar of SDG – Partnerships. A panel discussion explored the importance of collaboration between different sectors. Participants then discussed specific solutions related to Planet, People, and Prosperity in breakout sessions. Participants went into the discussions with representatives from PHINMA-DLSU Center for Business and Society, Arcadis, Teach for the Philippines, Masungi Georeserve, Saving Strays, Waste Trade Break Free from Plastic, Aral Pinoy, Special Olympics Philippines, Gawad Kalinga, and iVolunteer Philippines.
The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding volunteers. Every year, iVolunteer recognizes volunteers who embody the five core values the organization hopes to develop in the volunteer sector: Integrity, Inclusivity, Nationalism, Professionalism, and Change Leadership. This year, five outstanding volunteers were recognized:
- Paolo Miguel Ordonio as the Champion for Integrity,
- Ryan Juntilla Madamba as the Champion for Professionalism,
- Celine Guillermo as the Champion for Inclusivity,
- Armyr Encarnacion as the Champion for Nationalism, and
- James Nathaniel Refugio as the Champion for Change Leadership.
Davao – December 7
Meanwhile, in Davao, DestiNasyon started a day later on December 7 as a one-day event at Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao. It was also initiated with an orientation on the fundamentals of volunteering and how it is connected with the SDGs. It was followed by a series of talks on the domain of Planet, Prosperity, and People, facilitated by experts from LimaDOL Upcycling Food Waste, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Davao, and Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation.
As an immediate way for volunteers to take action, iVolunTree for Christmas, a donation drive for the Christmas wishes of the NGOs, was introduced. Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation’s wish of grocery items for their center was handed over to them during the event.
Finally, the event was capped with a sharing of personal volunteer experiences and a demonstration of Filipino Sign Language by Sign Language Interpreters of Davao Region to create an inclusive volunteer environment.
The events themselves are fully powered by volunteers from iVolunteer Philippines. It celebrates the spirit of volunteerism for volunteerism. It is a testament that when volunteers come together, a powerful movement can happen.
Start your volunteering journey now. Visit https://www.ivolunteer.com.ph to discover your advocacy.
