Hiraya: Volunteer Service Provider

Volunteer Service Provider serves as a source of manpower for community engagement programs and services focusing primarily on three aspects, namely: health, literacy, and environment. The spirit of volunteerism inspired an organization that exists to serve the needy, marginalized and underprivileged. Back in 2007 a large number of students interested in volunteerism who needed an organization to facilitate schedules, training and other activities decided to establish Volunteer Service Provider (VSP) to do just that. A year later, VSP became an independent student organization of San Pedro College in Davao City, governed by its own laws, officers and members and is headed by a moderator that leads alongside the president.

There are three main programs: Health, Literacy and the Environment. Each program covers a variety of projects that aim to address key social issues in a specific community. The ultimate goal of VSP is to serve God. Volunteer students are conditioned to be critical thinkers, compassionate and resourceful in responding to the needs of others. Despite the adversities and obstacles encountered during the pandemic, VSP project G.R.A.C.E. (Green Restoration and Awareness of Coastal Ecosystem) was still pushed through in June 17, 2022. It was the first limited community face-to-face activity since the start of the pandemic. As part of the G.R.A.C.E. initiative, volunteer students planted mangrove seedlings in tidal ecosystems in Barangay Bucana, Davao City.

 

 

Project C.A.T.C.H. (Confidence Achieved Through Collected Hair) is an ongoing project of the Health program that started in 2019. It provides wigs to cancer patients in the House of Hope Foundation who are suffering from hair loss. With the advent of COVID-19 these projects have encountered a number of challenges, but recently on the Project C.A.T.C.H. facebook page, an announcement confirmed that hair donations are once again being accepted for the first time since the pandemic started. Google forms are provided for those who are interested in donating their hair for cancer patients.

 

 

Project K.U.M.P.A.S.S. (Knitting the Unable and Medical Practitioners through Awareness of Special Speech) aims to mitigate the language barrier and was launched on May 13, 2022. Kumpas is a Filipino word that means hand movement, it can also be translated into Compass as it will serve as an instrument providing directions. In Davao City, the deaf community has received a total of 508 free hearing aids from the United States-based Starkey Hearing Foundation (Opiana, 2018) and VSP wished to offer their help to this important program. Project K.U.M.P.A.S.S. was originally planned to be conducted in a face to face setting, but due to the pandemic, it was conducted online. The organization invited 500 attendees from the SPED community to impart their skills in sign language.

 

 

VSP has garnered several awards at both the national and international level. Three projects were singled out for awards, one from each program. The first is Project S.E.L.F.Y. (Sexuality Education with Love for the Youth) from the Health Program. This project seeks to reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in certain communities. The second is Project H.O.U.S.E. (House Opened to Usher Students’ Education) from the Literacy Program, This project seeks to ameliorate the drop-out rate from the children of the Matigsalog tribe attending the Patag Elementary School. The third is Project D.O.M.E.S. (Developing Ocean’s Man-made Eco-friendly Shelters) from the Environmental Program. As the name suggests, Volunteer students produced domes that will serve as a habitat for the growth of coral and other ocean life. Aside from the environmental aspect, the project also made an economic contribution to the community, since the source of income of the people living in the community is fishing.

 

 

On July 20, 2022 we had an opportunity to conduct an online interview with Mr. Remark Z. Mortalla, PTRP, MSDEA. He is currently the director at Volunteer Service Provider, having served the organization for 18 years by training students in the spirit of volunteerism in the local community.

Interview

Interviewees
Mr. Remark Z. Moratalla, PTRP, MSDEA – Director, Volunteer Service Provider

Q: What is VSP?

Moratalla: VSP is a volunteer student organization based at San Pedro College. Originally, this is the source of our manpower for our community engagement programs particularly in the aspects of health, literacy and the environment.

Q: What is the background of VSP?

Moratalla: VSP first started in 2007 to help students get organized for volunteer activities, providing guidance on schedules and training. In 2008 it was registered as an independent student organization with its own laws and officers. VSP has since partnered with other student organizations, inside and outside campus, to facilitate and implement other civic welfare projects and environmental projects. The organization has been continuously responding to the call for student leadership and volunteerism in our community.

Q: How did you become involved in the organization?

Moratalla: Back in 2007 I was one of the moderators. I oversaw the health program at that time. In 2008 when we decided to establish VSP as an independent student organization so that we could elect our own officers with a formal membership, I became the first moderator of the entire organization, which is a post I hold to this day.

Q: Is that when you started recruiting students to be officers?

Moratalla: We also provide a lot of empowerment training for our volunteers so they can become leaders, not just for recruitment, but to motivate and inspire them to do more.

Q: What do you think is the driving force behind the organization?

Moratalla: The ultimate purpose of the organization is to serve God. We partner with other organizations and implement projects for the benefit of the community. Along the way, we also train leaders, who become responsible, proactive and responsive to the needs of others. We seek to empower volunteers. We serve the needy, marginalized and underprivileged.

 

 

Q: What do you think differentiates VSP from other organizations?

Moratalla: There are a lot of volunteer organizations out there. VSP is about student volunteerism, not volunteerism among professionals. We see schools, colleges and universities as a fertile ground for training and empowering youth. VSP also looks at the welfare of those who are in need. We are there to serve those who don’t have the resources, privilege and the access to avail the services. I think that’s what makes VSP different from other volunteer or other student organizations.

Q: Do you have any challenges in reminding the students what to do or in briefing them about their roles and responsibilities?

Moratalla: Like any other organization, there are a lot of challenges but what’s unique with a student organization like VSP is that there is always going to be a tug of war between volunteer work and one’s academic requirements. Our officers are diverse especially in terms of their schedules because they are coming from different courses. If one group is not available during a certain time of a project implementation, there is definitely another group of students who will be available. I think the most important characteristic is the commitment of the officers and volunteers to the organization. Students will try to balance school and volunteer work. At any time they can manage one of the two and sometimes they can do both.

Q: What is the most valuable experience that you have had?

Moratalla: The most valuable experiences for me are when we reach out to areas with no roads, electricity and access to potable water. We implemented projects that required hours of walking through mountain trails. Sometimes we have to ride in small boats. To be appreciated by people we serve in these areas is both fulfilling and memorable. The things that money can’t buy – simple appreciation, seeing project beneficiaries smile or laugh and seeing them starting to have a little more comfort in their lives. I think that’s more than what I expected from my work at VSP.

Reflections

It does not take much to become a volunteer. All you need is a desire to serve, empower and create a better place for everyone to live in. In VSP, volunteers take action in providing accessible health care, education and a better environment. That is what the volunteers call their hiraya or the fruit of their dreams and aspirations.

In generating this article the researchers have realized that Davao City is a hotbed of activity when it comes to NGO activity. The metro area is filled with outstanding groups but the researchers landed on VSP as they saw the passion to serve in each of its members. Its impact on the community can be seen, both in past projects and future aspirations.

Volunteer Service Provider does not just empower but it also generates change for the people it serves and for the volunteers themselves.

References

Alimbon, Jemer & Manseguiao, Mark Ronald. (2021). Community knowledge and utilization of mangroves in Panabo Mangrove Park, Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Philippines. International Journal of Bonorowo Wetlands. 11. 10.13057/bonorowo/w110201

Opiana, J. A. (2018, November 8). 508 Dabawenyos benefit from free hearing aids. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved August 7, 2022, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1053238

Pototan, B.L. & Capin, N.C. & Tinoy, Myla Ross & Novero, Annabelle. (2017). Diversity of mangrove species in three municipalities of Davao del Norte, Philippines. AACL Bioflux. 10. 1569-1580

SUNSTAR. (2018, February 14). Davao City gets highest dropout rate for kids with cancer treatment. SUNSTAR. Retrieved August 7, 2022, from https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/418977/davao-city-gets-highest-dropout-rate-for-kids-with-cancer-treatment

INFOGRAPHIC
https://tinyurl.com/2p99yhta

INTERVIEW VIDEO
https://tinyurl.com/3nxuy97w

INVITATION LETTER
https://tinyurl.com/355zu4b7

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
https://tinyurl.com/ypweu6va

Researchers

Greetings! I am Juvin Chlayne Gloryne L. Elid, or “Juvin” for short. I was born, raised and currently reside in Davao City, Philippines. I am a medical technologist intern at San Pedro College. I enjoy collaborating with other people from different parts of the world as well as learning new languages and different cultures. I love traveling, spontaneous adventures, nature, hiking, chasing waterfalls and cliff jumping. During my free time, I read books, watch TV series or movies, play the piano and enjoy sports.

Hello! My parents named me Flormarie L. Tuado but everyone calls me Bambi. I was born and raised in the humble province of Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental – a place filled with mountains and beaches. I became a volunteer, because fortunately I am surrounded by kind people who love to help others especially those who are in need and I got inspired. During my spare time, I like to read books, climb trees and teach lumad or native children like me in the neighborhood how to read and write as well as basic mathematics. My goal is to become a voice for young children who want to have a better life through education.