PiDeX Delegates Bid Farewell to Cebu
12 youth delegates and 4 adult leaders from the Netherlands bid their farewell to their Cebuano counterparts on August 11, 2018.
The delegates thanked the Cebuanos for their hospitality and for the great experience they had in Cebu.
Photo by Aljun Cainghog
The Dutch delegates visited different historical landmarks and popular destinations in Cebu. They also visited different places in Cebu as part of their immersion activities.
The Dutch delegates visited places like Cebu Technological University (CTU)-Barili to experience how it is to live in the rural areas of Cebu.
They experienced plowing, planting and also had a courtesy meeting with the Mayor Marlon Garcia of Barili.
The delegates met with the Gawad Kalinga in Brgy Maguikay, Mandaue City. They helped in preparing for the construction of one of the of houses and they also immersed and lived with the families in the community.
They also visited some of the elementary schools in Cebu.
They visited University of San Jose – Recoletos (USJ-R) and Mabolo Elementary School to get to know the students and learn about the educational in Cebu.
Nanoek Bos, one of the youth delegates said in an interview with Metro Cebu News that her PiDeX experience was great and unforgettable.
Photo by Aljun Cainghog
Bos said that they went to some beautiful waterfalls. They also visited the rehabilitated drug addicts and heard their stories.
“…we went to a house for disabled children we played with them and they really made contact us, I thought that was very special,” Bos said.
They also went on a social discovery walk in Cebu where they went to the poor areas and also visited a public hospital and she observed that the contrast of the private and public health sectors is really big.
Bos said that her experience inspired her and said that the projects that they visited started small but did have a big impact.
Carmel Amigable, the Young Minds on Xplore (YMX) 5 Convener, said that PiDeX has been running for a while now. Cebu and Haarlemmermeer in the Netherlands has a sister-city relationship.
“The (PiDeX) program has been for running for quite some time now. Cebu City and Haarlemmermeer they have existing sister city relationship, so part of the sister city relationship is the exchange program the dutch youth will come here in Cebu and Cebuanos in the Netherlands as well.” Amigable said.
Amigable said the PiDeX is a three week program and for this year’s run they are incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) of the United Nations.
“(PiDeX) It’s a three week program… for this year’s run, we are incorporating the SDG’s for them to realize that the Philippines is also doing something, contributing to the SDG’s of the United Nations,” Amigable added.
PiDeX is an immersion program spearheaded by Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. which started in 2006. (ASC)
