Colegio de Sta. Catalina de Alejandria and Saint Paul’s University-Dumaguete, along with other local schools, volunteered their efforts to Gawad Kalinga’s Buglasan Build 2015.
For Buglasan Build 2015, volunteers are assigned with the painting of the houses built for the community in the Jamali GK Village of Brgy. Jawa, Valencia.
Buglasan Build 2015 is affiliated with GK, the LGU of Valencia, the Department of Tourism, the Negros Oriental State University College of Education and its Scholars Federation.
Emma Burlasa, head of research and development of COSCA, said that around 70 of them joined Oct. 24 and 25. “Our faculty and staff are joining this project as a sign of our community involvement… We bring our provision and our school is also appropriating some amount for this endeavor,” she said.
According to Butch Caluscusan, head of Child & Youth Development for GK, the activity is one of many projects which aim “to spread the cause, which is a culture of caring and sharing.”
Caluscusan said that on GK’s efforts alone, they would not be able to perform their activities by themselves. For him, GK’s purpose is to “open opportunities for youth to volunteer; focused on faith-driven values.”
GK projected to manage 300 volunteers for their event. According to project head Philip Tagado, NORSU projected 200 volunteers while STI had 15-20 volunteers.
Richard Pascua, manager of the student affairs office of SPUD, said that when Paulinian students are called to serve, “we respond to it.” According to him, this is part of their community extension service that outsources students to communities in need. He said the program inculcates first-hand experience on student leadership.
Tagado said GK aims to end poverty for four million families by 2024. (Christian Renz Torres/SU Masscom Week)
