Reinforcing the value of volunteerism, some 600 PSUnians, clad in orange shirts, gamely participated in the TatakBOLUNTIR Fun Run activity of Pangasinan State University today, December 9, 2024 in a unified act to create awareness on volunteer work and to end violence against women and children (VAWC).
University President Dr. Elbert M. Galas led the teaching and non teaching force, students, ROTC trainees, and stakeholders from the nine campuses in an early morning three-kilometer, five-km, and 10-km run from PSU Lingayen to Camp Malong in Binmaley town. (see list of winners in separate story)
“𝑀𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑃𝑆𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠, 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔; 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒. 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛’𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠. 𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑓𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑢𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑,” 𝐃𝐫. 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞.
Meanwhile, Vice President Razeale Resultay of the Research, Extension, and Innovation Division said it is the first time that PSU is hosting the TatakBoluntir Fun Run as a means to transform awareness campaign into platforms of change and inspiration as volunteerism is rooted in the desire to make a positive impact and create meaningful change in the world.
The activity was supported by the provincial government of Pangasinan led by Governor Ramon ‘Mon-Mon’ V. Guico III and the Municipality of Lingayen led by Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil.
“𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘, 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠,’ 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭.
Major gains in volunteerism was also through the support and partnership with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) led by Regional Director Stephanie Christiansen who personally graced the event; the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) led by Regional Director Dr. Christine Ferrer who was represented by Dr. Mitcheline Rivo and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) led by Executive Director Donald Gawe as represented by Mr. Anthony Bagan.
Noteworthy during the TatakBoluntir were two senior citizen Campus Executive Directors- Dr. Elmer Vingua of Infanta Campus and Dr. Rosario DL Valencerina of Alaminos City Campus who both said they ran the 3-KM Finish Line because running promotes healthy and mental well-being plus they also want to help create awareness on the essence of volunteerism, with a normal blood pressure!
Consequently, Gender and Development Director Dr. Romary Lincod shared that the reality of VAWC is undeniable, thus volunteerism gives people a meaningful way to fight back and gives a choice as each awareness campaign and each act of support plays a role in breaking the cycle of violence.
Finishers for the Fun Run were awarded with certificates and cash prizes. The winners for the best booth creatively designed by the campuses were also announced (see separate story)
The Volunteer Month reminds everyone that that they have a role to play in building a more inclusive and compassionate society. Whether big or small, every effort counts and every gesture of goodwill brings people closer to a brighter future.
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#TatakBOLUNTIR
