The Peacock Jaycees Blog

By JCI Mem. Rashida A. Taneo, P.R.0.

Ten members of the JCIP-Puerto Princesa Peacock, Inc. successfully and gainfully joined the 27th Southern Luzon Area Conference of the Junior International Philippines for Area III on September 7-9, this year in Legazpi City, Bicol.

     President Emilyn R. Bayna of the LOM Chapter headed the delegation with incoming president JCI Mem. Gemma B. Medina and National Vice President Claudette E. Sendaydiego of the JCIP-Palawan Region.

     During the SOLAC, the members of the LOM participated in the tour guiding seminar, extemporaneous speaking contest, digital photography seminar, Search for Ms. Solac (Area III), the plenary and other activities made fun and exciting by the JCIP-Legazpi, this year’s host.

     Most memorable during the area conference was the dinner sponsored by the local mayor on top of Lignon Hills that overlooks glittering Legazpi at night. In the daytime, Lignon has a good view of the perfect cone of the volcano — still remaining the best sight in Bicol despite hundreds of lives lost due to a recent typhoon that sent big boulders of rock down below.

      A tour of the Cagsawa ruins was also unforgettable in the agenda of the members who joined other LOMs in getting to know the town. Unlike before when it still has souvenir shops and houses in the surrounding areas, the church ruins now look over a wide cavity-turned-river after the typhoon. One noticeable thing is that the residents of the place have quickly recovered from the incident to continue their lives, hoping for better chances in the future.

     In the awarding ceremony held on the last day, the JCIP-Puerto Princesa Peacock, Inc. received the following out seven bids or entries: JCI Mem. Emiyn R. Bayna (Outstanding LOM President-Area III); JCI Mem. Gemma B. Medina (Merit Award, Outstanding JCI Member-Area III); Tulong Kalusugan: A Medical, Dental and Healthcare Mission for the Tagbanua Indigenous People of Napsan (Best Public Health Award); and Bingo Serbisyo (Best Fund Raising Project). Past president and incoming national vice president JCI Mem. Teng Formoso also won second in the extemporaneous speaking contest.

     The area conference became an opportunity too for the newly organized chapter JCIP-Puerto Princesa Kiao to participate for the first time in a Jaycee activity. The LOM was represented by JCI members Mike Dinglasan, Noel Viceral and Gie Abu.

By JCI Mem. Rashida A. Taneo

The Puerto Princesa City Coliseum was bursting with people this morning, September 2, during the Alay Lakad 2007 walk-for-a-cause chaired by the JCIP-Puerto Princesa Peacock, Inc. in coordination with the JCIP-Puerto Princesa Oil and the JCIP-Puerto Princesa Kiao.
     As early as 5:15 a.m., the 8,000-sitting capacity coliseum ran out of space to receive more walkers who did not enter anymore, but remained outside the venue.
     It was estimated that the number of participants surpassed the volume of people that the coliseum can accommodate.
     At 4:00 a.m., an hour before the agreed walk time, people started gathering at the three designated assembly areas for Alay Lakad: Western Command Headquarters for Group I, Palawan Electric Cooperative for Group 2 and Capitol Green Park for Group 3.
     Each group was led by participants from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), followed by streamer-bearing groups, numbering to about 232, joining the annual event.
      The morning mood inside the coliseum was perked up when coordinators of the healthy lifestyle program from the City Health Office started taking over the floor to lead the participants to an early dance exercise. All joined, including the VIPs on stage.
    The members of the three LOMs in the City also joined the healthy lifestyle coordinators in leading the exercise (see photo left).
   During the program, JCI Mem. George Vasquez, president of the Oil Jaycees and this year’s elected president of Alay Lakad Foundation, Inc. (ALFI), the prime organization behind the walk-for-a-cause, explained the annual goal of the activity for the underprivileged youth. He also showed an 8-minute video presentation that informed the public about Alay Lakad’s history and the role of the Junior Chamber in its implementation.
    He also mentioned about a training center building that the ALFI will aim to construct in the coming months.
    JCI Mem. Emilyn R. Bayna, LOM president of the JCIP-Puerto Princesa Peacock, Inc. and this year’s Alay Lakad overall chairperson, on the other hand, encouraged the participants to continue supporting the walk-for-a-cause which will benefit the out-of-school-youth (OSY).
    She said that this year, the goal is to raise PhP300,000.00 to send more deserving
OSYs to school, and to sponsor more technical and vocational skills training-seminars for them.
    Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn has pledged to give PhP100,000.00 in support to the cause of the OSY. Other funds will come from the tickets sold earlier for Alay Lakad.
  Several awards were given this morning by the organizers; these are the Early Bird Awards (each for the three group), the youngest and oldest walkers, and the Jolliest Group.
    Councilor Roger Castro of the Sangguniang Panlungsod and also ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as OIC-president of the Philippine Councilor’s League-Palawan Chapter, represented Mayor Hagedorn and provincial Governor Joel T. Reyes. In his short speech, he delivered the good news of Mayor Hagedorn’s pledge.

     The Alay Lakad was attended by Commodore Ruperto Rico Borromeo, commander of the WESCOM; Col. Ramon Mabalot, commanding officer of MBLT-10; Ponciano Payuyo of PALECO (past president of ALFI and also a member of the Oil Jaycees); Col. Tony Villarete, wing commander of the 4th Tactical Operations Wing; Col. Dennis Peña of the Provincial PNP Command; Bong Arzaga of the Department of Education; Lolita Yulo of ALFI and the department head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO); NVP Claudette E. Sendaydiego of the JCIP-Palawan Region, and many others.

(1) PP Lyn Moraga, PP Teng Formoso, Pres. George, JCI Mem. Ruth Rodriguez, JCI Mem. Rein Rodriguez, Pres. Emilyn Bayna and JCI Mem. Rashida Taneo with Lolita Yulo of ALFI and CSWD at 3:00 a.m. at the City Coliseum before Alay Lakad 2007.

JCI members Gemma Medina, Siony Pilapil, Darry Tacdoro, Weng Par, and NVP Claudette E. Sendaydiego at the ticket selling and remittance booth during Alay Lakad ‘07.