By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
LAOAG CITY—It pays to be a volunteer.
More than the special award conferred on December 16, 2019 to Brgy. Poblacion, Burgos volunteer workers at the South Wing Lobby of the House of Representatives at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City, barangay officials and other volunteers of the said Ilocos Norte barangay are elated for the unexpected recognition.
Barangay Poblacion in Burgos, Ilocos Norte is one of the three national awardees for the special citation for local government unity category for its existing volunteer programs. The other LGUs include the municipality of La Trinidad in Benguet Province and Mandaluyong City.
Fresh from visiting family members and friends in the United States, Brgy. Poblacion chairperson Joegie Jimenez said the small piece of recognition in the search for the outstanding volunteers in the country has further inspired them to continue what they have started at their barangay.
“We are very much honored for the award. Though it came as a surprised, it only attests that what we are doing in Poblacion, Burgos is all worth it for the environment and our future generation,” said Mr. Jimenez in an interview.
In celebration of the National Volunteer Month every December, the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) in cooperation with the Search for Outstanding Volunteers National Selection Committee and the Regional Search Committees chaired by the NEDA Regional Offices, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the NCR and the Regional Planning and Development Office (RPDO) for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) awarded ten 10 individuals, organizations, and local government units on December 16, 2019 for exemplary performance and dedication in building strong communities and empowering lives.
In Poblacion, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, barangay workers led by Mr. Jimenez act as a front-liners in barangay-level governance in terms of environmental protection and conservation with its regular coastal and road clean ups and the “Basura Exchange School Tiangge” program where children contribute to the reduction of plastic waste.
Meanwhile, Mandaluyong City and the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet were also recognized under the LGU category for strengthening its pool of manpower for emergency response and developing community resilience through regular trainings on disaster risk reduction and management.
The awards were presented by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, the House committee on peoples’ participation chairperson Florida Robes, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, NEDA Undersecretary for Regional Development Adoracion Navarro, and PNVSCA officer-in-charge Corazon Macaraig.