Bayani Challenge Kicks off in Cebu

This year’s volunteerism event, Bayani Challenge, kicked off in Cebu province at the three storm-hit towns in Bantayan Island, namely Sta. Fe, Madridejos, and Bantayan.

According to Patrick Doromal of Gawad Kalinga (GK) Cebu, the first batch of the 200 houses will be built in the towns of Bantayan and Madridejos.

Under the Bayani Challenge, Bantayan and Madridejos will benefit from the house build projects, while in Sta. Fe, volunteers will work on school and building repairs.

Madridejos Mayor Sally de la Fuente said the 100 houses in their town will be built in Brgy. Tugas, where some 600 Bayani volunteers from Madridejos joining the Bayani Challenge, the mayor said.

While in Bantayan town, around 1,000 volunteers have signed up for the challenge, according to Bantayan Public Information Officer Ricky Derecho.

Derecho said the volunteers are from 25 villages and six private organizations in Bantayan. Simultaneous with the house building activity in Sitio Combado, Brgy. Ticad in Bantayan town is the coastal clean-up in 13 villages, and Paraisong Pambata activity in Brgy. Mamacayao.

Volunteers will also refurbished the classrooms for school children in Brgy. Lipayran and Brgy. Doong, he added.

Spearheaded by Gawad Kalinga, the Bayani Challenge started in 2006 with the goal of “building relationships, bringing out the hero in everyone and raising resources and results for the poor that can only be achieved by working together.”

This year’s Bayani Challenge runs from April 9 to June 12 and aims to gather one million volunteers in 12 provinces nationwide to help in the rebuilding efforts for calamity-hit communities.

Doromal said they will continue to invite Cebuanos to join the volunteerism event in the next few weeks in the identified local government units in Cebu province.

Image Credit: www.voluntourism.ph