Rotary as Effective COVID-19 Volunteer Service Provider: A Reflection on a Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa Initiative
Summary
When the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020, the Rotary International as a global organization immediately responded. The Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa (RCPP) in Palawan, Philippines, is among the clubs that went into action to provide volunteer services. Among its COVID-19 initiatives, the RCPP members on 2 April 2020 distributed food packs to the less privileged community residents. I reflect about the RCPP’s effectiveness as a volunteer service provider in terms of quick mobilization of members, speedy task accomplishment, and unencumbered bureaucracy.
1. Context of Rotary Service
When the World Health Organization declared Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) as a pandemic, the Rotary International (or simply Rotary) was among the global organizations that immediately responded. Rotary has been at the forefront of humanitarian services – amidst worldwide catastrophes and pandemics – since its establishment in 1905. The Rotary Districts (RDs), Rotary Clubs (RCs), and some 1.2 million members have been mobilized to provide volunteer services to help mitigate the devastating impacts of COVID-19.
The Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa (RCPP), in Palawan Province, Philippines, is one of the RCs that proactively went into action (Figure 1) at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Established on 10 April 1953, the RCPP is the oldest club within RD 3830. With some 60 currently listed members, the RCPP has undertaken several initiatives related to COVID-19, including the provision of personal protective equipment, establishment of community pantry, medical services, and information sharing.
In this blog, I share only one initiative: the RCPP’s distribution of food packs to community residents on 2 April 2020. More specifically, I reflect about the relative effectiveness of the RCPP as a volunteer service provider. These are in terms of quick mobilization of members, speedy task accomplishment, and virtually smooth organizational bureaucracy.
2. Members Mobilization and Rendezvous
The advent of mobile phones and internet-based social media have facilitated global communications. Through simple text messaging and notifications in the RCPP’s Group Chat, a consensus was agreed upon to distribute food packs on 2 April 2020. During the Rotary Year 2020-21, Wendell Salatandre was at the helm of RCPP as The Champions President (TCP).
Thus, our designated rendezvous was at the house of TCP Wendell in Barangay (village) San Miguel at 0800 on 2 April 2020. Early birds had an initial photo op (Figure 2). Most were wearing various Rotary-labeled shirts. Of course, we wore our respective face masks and tried to observe the physical distancing health protocol.
The food packs came from three sources: (1) U$1,000 donation from Rotary Club of Newport/Irvine, District 5230, USA; (2) contributions by RD 3830; and (3) donations by other RCPP members/officers. Earlier, Shannon Burns, an American Rotarian (see above Figure 2), was given the U$1,000 donation who went shopping himself for many of these foodstuffs.
Contents of food packs consisted mainly of small sacks of rice, assorted noodles, and a variety of canned goods. Around 0830, about 12 cars were present at the rendezvous. We then assembled the food packs and loaded them in our respective vehicles (Figure 3). We gathered as volunteers – coming from various business establishments and government agencies – to happily fulfill part of our creed of ‘service above self’ to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We agreed to focus our food pack distribution on those who are unlikely to benefit from the usual village-level distribution channel of the local government units. Thus, we targeted for distribution those isolated households and impoverished families. We divided among ourselves to cover strategic locations. Barangay Bancao-Banco was assigned to me. By 0900, we all departed to our respective barangay destinations. Other members and officers – who were delayed due to inspection at COVID-19 checkpoints – followed later.
3. Bancao-Banco Food Pack Distribution
Barangay Bancao-Banco is a coastal village that is about three kilometers east of the Central Business District. I first made an exploratory drive to various streets to look for impoverished households and/or community members. Having identified the houses, I decided to make the second round to distribute the food packs.
As I turned a corner, I saw three kids straddling around the side of the road in the heat of the morning sun. I casually stopped and gently asked them if they had received any food donations. When they responded, none, I gave them a sack of rice and some canned goods. They gladly agreed to be photographed (Figure 4).
I proceeded to the shacks of the poor people and introduced myself as an RCPP member. I politely queried them if they ever received any donation from the government – or any other private or philanthropic organization. Hearing none, I gave them the free goodies (ayuda). A few community residents who have not yet been visited by any service organization were quite surprised that I handed them free goodies – as if I was a Santa Claus right after April fool’s day!
Midway along my distribution route, my mobile phone rang. It was Victoriano ‘Vic’ Acosta, our Senior Assistant Governor (SAG). He said he was delayed due to COVID-19 checkpoints but would be joining me. Thus, SAG Vic and I distributed the remaining food packs together. One of the poor households we visited belong to an indigenous couple with a one-year-old child having an eyelid tumor (Figure 5). They profusely thanked us for the goodies that we freely shared with them.
4. Food Pack Distribution to Other Barangays
I also share here some photos of the other Rotarians who went to other villages. They likewise visited the houses of relatively poor community residents, particularly those who did not receive any assistance from the local governments.
TCP Wendell Salatandre and Rtn. Shannon Burns distributed food packs at the northern Barangays (Figure 6). These included Barangay Sicsican, Barangay Irawan, Barangay Tagburos, and Barangay Sta. Monica. Wendell is a private entrepreneur who specializes in the fabrication of stainless steelworks. On the other hand, Shannon runs a private chiropractor clinic.
Meanwhile, Rtn. Claudio ‘Jun’ Favila Jr. went to Barangay San Pedro (Figure 7). Jun is an insurance manager for non-life concerns. PN Allan Naraga visited up north Barangay Sicsican (Figure 8). Allan works as a real estate agent. I could not find the file photos of President-elect Lolita ‘Lyn’ Moraga (a medical technologist with the City Health Office) and other present members at the rendezvous.
5. Effectiveness of Rotary Food Pack Distribution
I surmise that the Rotary system of delivering volunteer services – in this specific context of food pack distribution – is reasonably effective in terms of quick mobilization of members, speedy task accomplishment, and smooth bureaucracy. In this particular case, our objective on 2 April 2020 was to distribute food packs to those impoverished members of Puerto Princesa. We had accomplished the task with virtually no bureaucratic hassles.
The delivery of goods and services through the governmental system, such as during this COVID-19 pandemic, is often constrained by complicated bureaucratic procedures. The RCPP volunteers distributed all the goodies practically in half a day time. We covered the selected villages in the city within that allotted period. Moreover, we were able to serve our targeted clientele: impoverished community residents who live in isolated houses or dilapidated dwellings – and those who had never received government assistance.
In the parlance of the Rotary community, we share a combination of the so-called four T’s: time, treasure, talent, and tolerance. The RCPP members who participated in that food pack distribution on 2 April 2020 generously shared their volunteer time and part of their treasure (money). SAG Acosta, who accompanied me in Barangay Bancao-Bancao, is a very busy, high-ranking government auditor. Yet on that day, he voluntarily shared his time, used his car, and paid for its fuel to help distribute the food packs to the needy.
You will get a certain ‘high’ whenever you share a part of what you possess to others who are either needy – or are less privileged. Such a high is quite different from other pleasurable moments such as taking hallucinogens, having passionate sex, or indulging in gastronomic delights. The feeling is quite challenging to elucidate in written words. You could describe more accurately such kind of a high when you engage in volunteer services yourself.
Going back to the RCPP food pack distribution chore on 2 April 2020, it was a great half-a-day event. We went home reasonably happy for volunteering to distribute free food packs to around 200 families affected by COVID-19. Those who went as a small group also had fun during that sunny Thursday morning (Figure 9). Rtn. Jay Maravilla (second from right) is a science high school teacher.
In the above closing photo, the four Rotarians happily posed with some recipients while observing the health protocols and physical distancing. A volunteer service should be an enjoyable endeavor, a relationship-building activity, and a self-actualizing experience despite the work involved. In Rotary, you can have them all!
Copyright © 2021 by Michael D Pido
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Lets keep on moving, Kudos to the Rotary Club.
Thanks Paolo – Hope you may join Rotary in the near future.
Thanks for sharing, Mike. My late father, a Rotarian of many decades standing and a great volunteer himself, would have loved your story. Rotary at its best!
Hi Meryl – Thank you for taking the time to respond. I recall that your late Dad mentioned Rotary activities. He must have been part of the Rotarians who established the Rotary International House within James Cook University in Townsville.
This is just one of the many efforts of Rotary to be of service to the people. The generosity of each membrr to share their talent, time, patience and finances warms the heart. Hoping for more Rotary projects and program blogs Doc Pido ? More power to Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa!
Glad to hear from you. Being able to extend a volunteer service is one of the ‘highs’ in the world. You are correct that amidst this pandemic, there is still so much generosity around. Look forward to seeing you when I come back to Puerto.