Three months after Yolanda, Leytenos are called to join the Bayani Challenge 2014

Three months after Yolanda, Leytenos are called to join the Bayani Challenge 2014

By: Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, February 9 (PIA) – The third month anniversary of the Yolanda onslaught in Eastern Visayas on February 8, 2014, was marked with the Leyte launch of the Bayani Challenge 2014 at the Leyte Normal University Gym.

At said launch, PCOO Undersecretary and PIA Director General Jose Mari Oquinena called on the youth of Leyte and Eastern Visayas to join the Bayani Challenge 2014 with the theme Walang Iwanan, which will be conducted in the disaster-hit areas in the Visayas to include Leyte, Samar , Eastern Samar, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Palawan and Zamboanga in Mindanao.

“For this year's Bayani Challenge, we will go to the areas affected by recent disasters and show our brothers and sisters that we will not leave them behind,” Usec Oquinena who founded the Bayani Challenge told the more than 700 students who were visibly awed as the USec motivated them to join the Challenge to rebuild Yolanda hit areas.

It was observed that despite being noontime already, the students from various colleges and universities in Tacloban did not leave the Gym, clapped and laughed and lighted candles at the end of the program.

These events have brought the Filipino to its core: relationships that refused to leave each other behind. The Filipino people's Resilience has inspired other nations to help, USec Oquinena said as he observed that there were non Filipinos who were present to signify their intention to enlist as volunteers.

With the guest of honor were Gawad Kalinga prime movers Mr. Boy Montelibano and Mr. Tanny Go who noted that with the youth staying in Tacloban to help in the rehabilitation, there is great hope for restoration and rehabilitation.

With at least a million volunteers from the various parts of the country and the world, this year’s Bayani Challenge will begin on April 12, a little after Araw ng Kagitingan or The Day of Valor and culminate on June 12, Independence Day, Gawad Kalinga is orchestrating it to be the most historic and most patriotic Bayani Challenge to have hit the country ever.

Bayani Challenge 2014 is targeting 20,000 houses in the mentioned calamity-hit areas, it was learned.

In Leyte, Bayani Challenge 2014 will be in the municipalities of Tanauan, Palo, Alangalang, Ormoc and Tacloban City.

GK is looking for 1 million volunteers for the manpower at about 10-15 volunteers/group for each house.

Bayani Challenge it was learned, aims to build relationships among different sectors, groups and nationalities, creating peaceful and more caring communities that are ready for any eventuality.

It is also the platform to gather and inspire volunteers who are key players in innovating and implementing plans that address poverty and other social challenges. This is also the opportunity to raise extraordinary resources that complement funded or unfunded programs of the local government. (PIA 8).

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