Written by Christine Querubin
NCR-South Luzon Cluster
NCR-South Luzon Cluster
Fifty eight new members were added to the roster of volunteers in the VYLH-Philippines NCR-South Luzon cluster during the Volunteer Orientation on May 3, 2014 at the Lara Hall, UP Manila. Participants from Cavite, Batangas, Los Baños, Quezon City and Manila joined the whole day gathering featuring talks on volunteerism, newborn screening, folic acid supplementation, and rare diseases.
Dr. April Berboso, NCR-South Luzon Cluster Adviser, gave a video message welcoming the new batch of members to the organization. This was followed by team building activities and games aimed to acquaint the new members with existing volunteers.
Mr. Jasper Jover, former VYLH-Philippines Mindanao Secretariat gave a lecture on volunteerism and Christine Querubin, NCR-South Cluster Coordinator oriented the participants about the organization and gave an overview of its core advocacies. Separate talks on Newborn Screening, Expanded Newborn Screening, and Folic Acid Supplementation were handled by Ms. Hermes Pascua, Newborn Screening Coordinator for the Center for Health and Development-NCR, and Ms. Marian Cuenca, VYLH- Philippines NCR-South Secretariat, respectively.
The Batch E4 members also worked on their action plans for the year by region, city and school. The organizational orientation and advocacy talks were held in the morning while action planning and commitment rituals were afternoon sessions. Photos and organizational videos over the years havealso been shared to the new members in between sessions.
IHG Genetic Nurse Ms. Aster Lyn Sur, VYLH-Philippines National Secretariat, lead the symbolic pledge of commitment. Selected representatives from VYLH-Philippines NCR-South Batch E4 also shared their insights as the newest members of the organization during the closing ceremony.
Photo credit: Odellaine Mendoza (Pioneer)
