I voluntour, I voluntravel

Category Archives: Voluntour

Museo Pambata’s Annual Toy and Book Drive 2011

Museo Pambata Toy Drive 2011

 

Let underserved children (street kids) be merry this Christmas!  You can make one of the 2000 kids of Museo Pambata happy by donating new or old but usable toys.

Every year, Museo Pambata is setting up a gift-giving activity with 2000+ kids at its own grounds in Manila.  They invite children to come over and feel the spirit of Christmas.
Last year, I was only able to spread the news through social networking sites but was not able to donate even a single toy.  But this 2011, I want to make a difference.  I am calling all bloggers to donate your toys or your kids’ toys.  You can give it to me when we bump into each other on events and  will be glad to give it to Museo Pambata.
Last October, I was at MP to share my time with the kids in celebration of Children’s Month.  (Will post my experience here soon).
On December, I will up date you guys on when will be the packing and distribution of toys wherein you could also participate.
Hope we could help them reach 2000 or more toys to make 2000 smiles this Holiday Season!
If you could also arrange a toy drive at your office, school, or organization, then it would be great!  Last year, MP arranged to pick up some donation boxes to those who started a local donation drive within Metro Manila.  I do not know if they still do.  They can be reached through Tel. 523-1797/98 local 103 and 106 and Fax 5221246 for more details.
OR
You can drop off your donations at Museo Pambata, Roxas Blvd. corner South, Drive, Manila (beside the US Embassy) from 9AM-5 PM (Mon-Sat) and Sundays 1-5 PM only.
Thank you very much, dear voluntravelers!
Manila is just around, yes, and voluntourism/volunteerism does not choose whether its far or near as long as it serves its purpose… SHARING!

Place a comment blogger friends if we could meet up on an event and I will be the one to deliver your toys to Museo Pambata!

CBTL 2012 Giving Journal – The “Giving Back” Journal + Photo Contest

Christmas is really the most wonderful time of the year and it’s really coming near…

And it’s good to know that one of my favorite coffee shops is also practicing corporate social responsibility — in short — giving back to its community.  The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf does not only serve coffee and tea but also does offer the Giving Journal.  And this year, they want us to be part of it!  Start posting your “Giving Moments” photos on their Facebook fan page and get a chance to be featured in CBTL’s 2012 Giving Journal until October 5.  Contest winners will be announced on October 7!

 

Click the photo for more info or log on to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s Facebook fan page.

 

I know some of you may find my blog boring because I only blog about charity, organizations, foundations, giving back activities, volunteering activities, but now you have more reasons of coming back to I Voluntour, I Voluntravel because I will also be posting charity-related contests and other volunteering events.  So please do come back!

 

(“,)

Efren Penaflorida’s Kariton Klasrum Partners with GOLDEN ABC’s GETUP Campaign in Cavite

 

In the past few months, I’ve been targeting to revisit Rizal to do another voluntrekking activity with my friends.  I am also planning to have a 1-week voluntravel at Camotes Island and a 3-day voluntour to Palawan to support DENR’s “No Mining to Palawan” campaign.  But because of the unfriendly weather, conflict in schedules, and budget issues, all of these stay on hold.

But lucky me, God really has plans for us.  On August 20, 2011, my supervisor approved my leave, the weather is fine, and this trip is sponsored to us by GOLDEN ABC, owner of leading brands Penshoppe, Oxygen, ForMe, Regatta, Tyler, and Red Logo together with Fleishman Hillard, GOLDEN ABC’s trusted PR agency.

Then I was reminded, no need to travel far to promote volunteerism, guys.  Cavite (just 15 minutes away from my house) has Dynamic Teen Company.  Yes, it is the group founded by 2009 CNN Hero of the Year, Mr. Efren Penaflorida Jr.

On our way to Cavite, (yes, that’s me looking at the window feeling like making an MTV, haha) I remember spending my grade school days in one of Cavite’s historical town, which is Imus.  So I can say this province really has a big place in my heart.  So I am glad that my come back here, even just for a single day, would benefit its townspeople.

Around 7:30 a.m.

GOLDEN ABC (GABC) executives gave us a little background about the company and a little briefing on the guidelines when we are on the site.  GABC, one ofthe country’s leading fashion retail company promotes its mission on corporate social responsibility or CSR to both their employees and loyal customers.

Ms. Pat from GABC provided us Penshoppe’s “I AM PINOY” merchandise, shirts and towels (and I was like, “thank you, Lord” as I forgot my extra clothes, haha) (“,)

Passed 8 a.m.

Yey!  We have reached Barangay Caridad, Cavite City which houses KarBil (Kariton Building), the product of Kuya Efren’s winnings.  The DTC volunteers have already left and they headed to the public market.  We found them setting up Kariton Klasrum.

 

Every Saturdays, Dynamic Teen Company conducts feeding, tutorials, and first aid treatments to children living nearby the public market and public cemetery (where Kuya Efren lived nearby before).

Every Saturdays, DTC volunteers gather unprivileged children living nearby, set up big mats on sandy floors, put tarps as their protection from heavy rains or sun’s rays, and push carts just to teach and share the value of education.  Look at their sacrifices.  Simple yet make significant difference in other people’s lives.

I, together with the 12 bloggers and GABC employee volunteers participated in their activities that day.  We helped in assisting the kids and we also played with them.

I am proud to share the caught-on-cam pictures of the kids who are really hungry for education and who really embrace their learning at Kariton Klasrum.

Then a little later, I saw a man in black wearing a white baseball cap… to my surprise, it’s Kuya Efren, the modern-day hero of Cavite!  Another dream come true for me, meet the CNN Hero of the Year for 2009.  (I voted for him!)

He’s so down to earth.  He talks with the street kids and plays with them.  What you saw on TV, that’s still him… no change at all… still humble…

DTC also arranges schedule for outside volunteers who want to donate food, so while the family volunteers assigned that morning started the feeding program, we took the chance to interview Kuya Ef and take pictures with him.  We also interviewed DTC volunteers.  DTC needs support for their feeding program, so please long on to www.dtc.org.ph to work on something with your friends, family or even co-workers.

Almost 12 noon…

It’s our turn to push the Kariton Klasrum!  There are 4  push carts namely Kari, Toni, Tres, and Trio but only 3 are working that day.

Ning, Ate Janese, and I (bloggers) and Sir Ram Bucoy and Sir Edwin Padillo of Fleishman Hillard chose to push the Kariton Klinik.  I estimated our way from the public market to KarBil about 700-800 meters.  Who would imagine PR executives push carts that far?  We didn’t really feel tired.  Sir Ram said, “Think of it as a gym workout program.”  I’m really happy to meet these two executives. As travellers say, the best journey is measured with the experience with your friends (newly-found friends), not with the miles (meters for us, hahaha).

Quarter to one…

Lunch Time!  Love Ko ‘To! (You know what our lunch is, right?)

Oops, oops, oops, we’re not yet done!  The time has come to know why we are really gathered here.

Do you love to shop for your getup?  Do you love to join Kuya Ef in his cause but no time to do it?

Well, here now is your chance to get involved!

Over the past two decades, GABC has been actively involved in various foundations that further the cause of people development.  It has branded its corporate social responsibility platform as “GET UP”.  GABC pledged to assist in providing knowledge to underprivileged kids in Barangay Caridad, an urban community in Cavite City.

Starting September 1, if you spend P1000 on your shopping at Penshoppe, Oxygen, ForMe, and Regatta, P25 will go to the company’s advocacies including DTC’s Kariton Klasrum.


Our P25 will go a long way as Kuya Efren said that Kariton Klasum is only done every Saturdays but the feeding program is done every night, they feed the children at dinner time.  DTC wishes to ease every child’s hunger before going to sleep.  KarBil only serves as a tutorial house for those who have finished Kariton Klasrum level.  KarBil already has a number of books, toys, and school supplies which they lend to the kids.  Food supply now is their first concern.

To find out about GOLDEN ABC and GET UP campaign, please log on to www.goldenabc.com and www.getup.ph respectively.

Passed 1:00 p.m.

I heard manong driver telling Ma’am Cosette (PR Executive), “Ma’am, si Efran Penaflorida po ba yun?”  (Ma’am is he Efren Penaflorida?)  Pwede magpa-picture?”  Nakakatuwa si manong.  May pahabol pa!  Then we took pictures of them from the window.

On our way back, ssssssshhhhhh…. the others are already asleep but Ning of ning4u.blogspot.com and I are still inspired by that voluntravel.

 

It’s really true when travellers say, after you come home from a trip, your disposition change and that’s true!

Cagayan de Oro City: Zipline, White Water Rafting, Skybridge, and Giving Back!

In my 25 years of simple-yet-happy living here on Earth, my helluvan adventure at Cagayan de Oro City was really a hard one to top.

Yes, I remember calling it “A Helluvan Adventure” in one of my Friendster photo galleries before as I really had a lot of “firsts” and memories during that trip.  Aside from the moments I first ride an airplane, first traveled outside Luzon, first zipline, and first white water rafting experience, it was also my first time to do voluntraveling.

I got this all-expensed paid trip as an incentive for not being late and absent in almost about a year and for showing good performance at my workplace.

 

DAY 1

NOVEMBER 16, 2008

After receiving a warm welcome from Sister Ono (one of the sisters who maintains the foundation we are going to) and Tita Riza with David (our boss’ relatives in CDO), we went straight ahead to Sir Joel Garcia’s (our super boss) chosen charity, founded also by his mother, House of Friendship a.ka. Balay Canossa at Lingohan, Tablon, Cagayan de Oro City.

The four of us, Sir Joel together with my officemates Kuya Ehd, Irish and I met the kids of the said foundation.  They prepared song and dance performances which really made us smile.  We also had fun doing coloring activities with them and taking pictures.  We then gave our donations like books and the most important, the printer which is really what they needed.

House of Friendship is being guided by the Canossian Sisters of Cagayan de Oro City.  In 2009, there were 20+ kids from different places in Mindanao that stays there composed of orphans, street kids, and children with special needs.

If you think it’s over, well, it’s just the giving back part of the story.  Now, here’s the heart-pounding part.

Still part of our first day, we first laid our eyes to the highest shrine in Asia, Divine Mercy Hills, a big concrete statue of Jesus Christ watching over El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.

 

DAY 2

November 17, 2008

White water rafting was still undecided part of the 2 days, 2 nights stay in CDO, but we’re really so happy that it just fell in front of our eyes.

Skybridge

Zipline

Rafting

Thank you so much Macahambus Adventure Park and Kagay (our ultimate adventure guide) for this one of a kind experience.  Our tour guide, Kuya Raymond and his partner made us laugh while on the raft for almost 3 hours while waiting for the rapids to splash.  And thank you too, Sir Joel!

 

Life is about the moments that take our breath away.

Now, on your next vacation, try to look for charity institutions.  Don’t just spend your time for leisure… VOLUNTOUR!  VOLUNTRAVEL!

 

Voluntrekking at Rodriguez, Rizal


This is definitely my first voluntravel post and I am really excited to share it to you, guys, even though it has been a way, way back volunteering with adventure project that I have joined.

 

The company that I worked for before aims to start the year 2010 right by giving back.  We have done giving donations last 2009 from Ondoy victims, Unang Hakbang Foundation kids, street children in Sampaloc, Manila to the elders of Mary Mother of Mercy.  The transcription company is really inspired to do a lot of sorting and packing of goodies and in making others happy because we have received a lot of workloads for the year 2009.
February 26, 2010 – At first I thought it was going to be an ordinary outreach program day at a school, but it was not!  This was really a one-of-a-kind charity work we have ever done at Maharlika Daycare Center in Montalban, Rizal now known as Rodriguez, Rizal.

 


First and foremost, we started unpacking the books, toys, and clothes from the package of Dr. McCormick to our office the day before.

 

Morning of February 26, we headed to Rodriguez, Rizal.  We were wowed by the landscape scenery, saw green-spotted mountains again and white boulder rocks around.

Going up, we were welcomed by Mt. Tapusi which Lukesh, our guide, said that it is the legendary mountain moved by Bernardo Carpio.  It is the one that we read on books of “alamat” or legends during childhood days.

 

 

We thought the area is near from the town but before we reached the daycare center, we passed by huge lime stones, met caves along the way, passed by a narrow bridge made up of bamboos and metals, and walked on rough roads.

 

 

 

 

 

But along those hardships come more amazing spots…

 

Wawa Dam, Rizal

 

Old infrastructure on top Wawa Dam

 

Floating Nipa Huts where you can rest and eat.

 

“Are we still far from Maharlika?” All of us were hungry and thirsty. Not prepared for this as we thought we would just give joy to the kids of the daycare center. We estimated the trek around 5km to 7km. What?! Oh, yes!

 

And now, at last, we came to the best part, gift giving to the studentsof Maharlika Daycare Center. We can’t believe that there’s a school on top of a mountain and that far away. We were surprised because the kids prepared a song and dance number for us. Of course, we also danced with them to the tune of Nobody by Wonder Girls.

 

 

Maharlika Day Care Center Kids Enjoying the Gifts

 

 

Before going back to the office, Lukesh offered us to go to their camp where youth camps were held. It is just a short walk from the school. Lukesh’s group is the one maintaining the daycare center and the protected area around the camp.

 

Now, GOING DOWN is much more fun than GOING UP!!! The route gets narrower and more enjoyable scenes coming right through your eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mount Tapusi

 

 

WE THANK OUR BOSS AND GOD FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO SOME KIDS AND TO SEE WONDERS OF THE PROVINCE OF RIZAL.

Am I right that this is not an ordinary cause?  Experience this yourselves and look for Maharlika Daycare Center in Montalban, Rizal and help the children build a better future.