Sunday, July 26, 2015

WOSM & THE BSP STRUCTURE

Session Objective

Describe WOSM/BSP and its role in Scouting.
Illustrate WEOSM/BSP Structure.
Identify the BSP Double Track Plan
Understand and Analyze BSP’s “The Great Partnership”

World Scouting

The Scout Movement is a voluntary non-political educational movement for young people, open to all without distinction of gender, origin, race or creed. Scouting offers young people the opportunity to develop their full emotional, intellectual, physical, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible global citizens, and as members of their local, national and international communities.

The organization of the Scout Movement at the world level, “World Scouting”, is governed by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM).

WOSM is an independent, non-political, non-governmental organisation that is made up of 161 National Scout Organizations (NSOs). These NSOs are located in 223 countries and territories around the world. With over 40 million members in some one million local community Scout Groups, WOSM is the largest youth movement in the world.

Some seven million members in WOSM are adult volunteers who support local activities.Through peer-to-peer leadership, supported by adults, each local Scout Group embracesthe same set of values illustrated in the Scout Promise and Law. Each of the one million local Scout Groups follows a similar system of non-formal education suited to the unique aspects of their local community.

Purpose

The purpose of WOSM is to promote unity and the understanding of Scouting's purpose and principles while facilitating its expansion and development. The organs of WOSM are the World Scout Conference,  the World Scout Committee, and  the World Scout Bureau.

WOSM Regions

WOSM is divided into six Regions: Africa, Arab, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Europe and Interamerica. Their role is to support their member National Scout Organizations (NSOs).

The Regions are strategically managed by Regional Scout Committees, which are elected by Regional Scout Conferences. These conferences take place every three years. The Regions are supported by Regional Offices, which are part of the World Scout Bureau.

Scouting Regions

Africa Scout Regions

Angola - Associação de Escuteiros de Angola (AEA) (Scout Association of Angola)
Benin - Scoutisme Béninois (Benin Scouting)
Botswana - The Botswana Scouts Association
Burkina Faso - Association des Scouts du Burkina Faso(ASBF) (Scout Association of Burkina Faso)
Les Eclaireurs et Eclaireuses du Burkina Faso (The Scouts and Guides of Burkina Faso)
Les Scouts du Burkina Faso (The Scouts of Burkina Faso)
Burundi - Association des Scouts du Burundi (Scout Association of Burundi)
Cameroon - Les Scouts du Cameroun/Boy Scouts of Cameroon
Cape Verde - Associação dos Escuteiros de Cabo Verde (Scout Association of Cape Verde)
Chad - Fédération du Scoutisme Tchadien (Scout Federation of Chad)
Eclaireurs du Tchad
Scouts du Tchad (Scouts of Chad)
Comoros - Wezombeli (Association Nationale du Scoutisme Comorien) (The National Scout Association of Comoros)
The Democratic Republic of Congo - Fédération des Scouts de la République démocratique du Congo (The Scout Federation of the Democratic Republic of The Congo)
Cote d’Ivoiré

· - Fédération Ivoirienne du Scoutisme (Scout Federation of Côte d'Ivoire)

· - Les Eclaireurs Laïcs de Côte d'Ivoire

· - Les Eclaireurs Unionistes de Côte d'Ivoire (Unionist Scouts of Côte d'Ivoire)

· - Les Scouts Catholiques de Côte d'Ivoire (The Catholic Scouts of Côte d'Ivoire)

Ethiopia - Ethiopia Scout Association
Gabon - Fédération Gabonaise du Scoutisme (Scouting Federation of Gabon)
Eclaireurs et Eclaireuses Unionistes du Gabon(Unionist Scouts of Gabon)
Eclaireuses-Eclaireurs du Gabon (Scouts and Guides of Gabon)
Scouts et Guides Catholiques du Gabon (Catholic Scouts and Guides of Gabon)
Gambia - The Gambia Scout Association
Ghana - The Ghana Scout Association
Guinea - National Scout Association of Guinea
Kenya - The Kenya Scouts Association
Lesotho - Lesotho Scouts Association
Liberia - Boy Scouts of Liberia
Madagascar - Firaisan'ny Skotisma eto Madagasikara (Scout Federation of Madagascar)
Tily Eto Madagasikara(Christian Scouts of Madagascar)
Antilin'i Madagasikara (Catholic Scout Association of Madagascar)
Kiadin'i Madagasikara(Scouts of Madagascar)
Malawi - Scout Association of Malawi
Mauritius - The Mauritius Scout Association
Mozambique - Liga dos Escuteiros de Moçambique (League of Scouts of Mozambique)
Namibia - Scouts of Namibia
Niger - Association des Scouts du Niger (Scout Association of Niger)
Nigeria - The Scout Association of Nigeria
Rwanda - Association des Scouts du Rwanda (Scout Association of Rwanda)
Senegal - Confédération Sénégalaise du Scoutisme (Senegalese Scout Confederation)
Eclaireurs du Sénégal (Scouts of Senegal)
Les Scouts du Sénégal(The Scouts of Senegal)
Seychelles - The Scout Association of Seychelles
Sierra Leone - Sierra Leone Scouts Association
South Africa - Scouts South Africa
South Sudan - South Sudan Scout Association
Swaziland - Emavulandlela Swaziland Scout Association
United Republic of Tanzania - Tanzania Scouts Association
Togo - Association Scoute du Togo (Scout Association of Togo)
Uganda - The Uganda Scout Association
Zambia - Zambia Scouts Association
Zimbabwe - The Scout Association of Zimbabwe

Potential Members

Central Africa Republic
Congo (Brazzaville)
Djibouti
Eritrea
Equatorial Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Mali
Somali
Sao Tome & Principe

Arab Scout Region

Algeria

Bahrain
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Tunis
United Arab Emirate
Yemen

Asia Pacific Scout Region

Scouts Australia

Bangladesh Scouts
Bhutan Scouts Association
Persekutuan Pengakap Negara Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia Scouts
The General Association of the Scouts of China
Fiji Scouts Association
Scout Association of Hong Kong
The Bharat Scouts & Guides (India)
Gerakan Pramuka (Indonesia)
Scout Association of Japan
Kiribati Scout Association
Korea Scout Association
Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia
The Scout Association of Maldives
The Scout Association of Mongolia
Nepal Scouts
Scouts New Zealand
Pakistan Boy Scouts Association
The Scout Association of Papua New Guinea
Boy Scouts of the Philippines
The Singapore Scout Association
Sri Lanka Scout Association
National Scout Organization of Thailand

Associate Members

The Scout Association of Macau
Polynesia Scouts Council
Scouting also exists in Afghanistan, Cook Islands, Myanmar, Nauru, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Eurasia Scout Region

HASK – National Scout Movement Of ArmeniaOfficial page; scout.org page;
ASA – Association of Scouts of Azerbaijan;Official page; scout.org page;
BRSA – Belarusian Republic Scout Association;Official page; scout.org page;
GOSM – Georgian Organisation of Scout Movement;
OSMK - Organisation of Scout Movement of Kazakhstan;
NSAM – National Scout Association of Moldova;
RASN – Russian Association of Scouts/Navigators;
SAT – Scout Association of Tajikistan;
NOSU – National Organisation of Scouts of Ukraine.

European Scout Region

Austria - Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs (Scouts and Guides of Austria)
Belgium - Guidisme et Scoutisme en Belgique/Gidsen- en Scoutsbeweging in België
(Guiding and Scouting in Belgium)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - The Council of Scout Associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria - Организация на българските скаути (Organisation of Bulgarian Scouts)
Croatia - Savez izviđača Hrvatske (The Scout Association of Croatia)
Cyprus - Σώμα Προσκόπων Κύπρου (Cyprus Scouts Association)
Czech Republic - Junák-svaz skautů a skautek ČR (Association of Czech Scouts and Guides)
Denmark - Fællesrådet for Danmarks Drengespejdere (The Danish Scout Council)
Estonia - Eesti Skautide Ühing (Estonian Scout Association)
Finland - Suomen Partiolaiset-Finlands Scouter (Scouts and Guides of Finland)
France - Scoutisme Français (French Scouting)
Germany - Ring deutscher Pfadfinderverbände (Council of German Scout Associations)
Greece - Σώμα Ελληνων Προσκόπων (Scouts of Greece)
Hungary - Magyar Cserkészszövetség (Hungarian Scout Association)
Iceland - Bandalag íslenskra Skáta (Icelandic Boy and Girl Scout Association)
Ireland – Gasóga na hÉireann (Scouting Ireland)
Israel – התאחדות הצופים והצופות בישראל (Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation)
Italy - Federazione Italiana dello Scautismo (Italian Scout Federation)
Latvia - Latvijas Skautu un Gaidu Centrala Organizacija (The Scout and Guide Central Organisation of Latvia)
Liechtenstein - Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Liechtensteins (Scouts and Guides of Liechtenstein)
Lithuania - Lietuvos Skautija (Lithuanian Scouting)
Luxembourg - Luxembourg Boy Scouts Association
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of - Сојуз на извидници на Македонија (Scout Association of Macedonia)
Malta - The Scout Association of Malta
Monaco – Association des Guides et Scouts de Monaco (Guides and Scouts of Monaco)
Montenegro – Савез Извиђача Црне Горе/Savez Izviđača Crne Gore (Scout Association of Montenegro)
Netherlands - Scouting Nederland (Scouting in the Netherlands)
Norway - Speidernes Fellesorganisasjon (Guides and Scouts of Norway)
Poland - Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego (Scouts and Guides of Poland)
Portugal - Federação Escutista de Portugal (Scout Federation of Portugal)
Romania - Cercetasii României (The National Scout Organization of Romania)
San Marino - Associazione Guide e Esploratori Cattolici Sammarinesi (The Catholic Guide and Scout Association of San Marino)
Serbia – Savez Izvidjaca Srbije (Scout Association of Serbia)
Slovakia - Slovenský skauting (Slovak Scouting)
Slovenia - Zveza tabornikov Slovenije (Scout Association of Slovenia)
Spain - Federación de Escultismo en España (Spanish Scout Federation)
Sweden – Scouterna (Guides and Scouts of Sweden)
Switzerland – Mouvement Scout de Suisse (Swiss Guide and Scout Movement)
Turkey - Türkiye İzcilik Federasyonu (Federation of Turkish Scouts and Guides)
United Kingdom - The Scout Association

Interamerican Scout Region

Associated Members
Aruba - Scouting Aruba
CurazaoScouting Antiano

Scouting Elsewhere

Main Territories

There are 24 main territories where Scouting exists, often as overseas branches of member NSOs:

Anguilla
Antarctica
Bermuda
Cayman Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cook Islands
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
French Guiana

Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Martinique
Montserrat
New Caledonia
Norfolk Island
Puerto Rico
Réunion
Saint Helena
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Turks and Caicos Islands
Virgin Islands, British
Virgin Islands, U.S.
Wallis and Futuna

Potential Member Countries

There are 27 countries where Scouting exists (be it embryonic or widespread) but where there is no National Scout Organization which is yet a member of WOSM.

Note: In the independent countries marked with a "*", there is a Scout Association which is a branch of a WOSM member.

Afghanistan
Albania
Antigua and Barbuda*
Central African Republic
Congo
Djibouti
East Timor
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Guinea-Bissau
Iran
Iraq
Kyrgyzstan
Mali
Marshall Islands*
Micronesia, Federated States of*

Nauru
Palau
Saint Kitts and Nevis*
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe Solomon Islands *
Somalia
Tonga*
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu*
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu*
Viet Nam

WOSM maintains official contacts with the Scouts of Macao and French Polynesia, which are associate members of the Asia-Pacific Scout Region, and with the Scouts of Aruba and Curaçao which are associate members of the Interamerican Scout Region.

Countries with no Scouting

There are six countries where Scouting, to WOSM's knowledge, does not exist; in some it would not be allowed. These are: Andorra, People's Republic of China,  Cuba,  Democratic People's Republic of Korea,  Lao People's Democratic Republic and Myanmar.

The World Scout Conference

The World Scout Conference is the governing body, the "general assembly" of Scouting, and is composed of all the members of the World Organization: the National Scout Organizations (NSOs). An NSO can have a maximum of six delegates at a World Scout Conference.

The function of the Conference is to consider the policy and standards of the Scout Movement throughout the world, formulate the general policy of the World Organization, and take the action required to further the purpose of the Movement.

The Conference takes place every three years. In addition to delegates, observers authorised by their National Scout Organization are also eligible to attend the event. Delegations usually include International Commissioners, the Scout responsible for relations with WOSM and with Scout Organizations in other countries.

In conjunction to the Conference, a World Scout Youth Forum is held. Through preparing inputs and making recommendations to the World Scout Conference and to the World Scout Committee, participants develop the skills necessary to take part in decision-making processes. The Youth Forum is open to members aged 18-26, of which many are also delegates at the World Scout Conference. The World Scout Youth Forum is considered as an interim measure to improve youth involvement in decision-making at world level.

Functions of the Conference includes electing members of the World Scout Committee, admitting new member countries, and selecting the venues for forthcoming World Scout Events, namely the World Scout Jamboree, the World Scout Moot, the World Scout Conference and the World Scout Youth Forum.

The most recent World Scout Conference and World Scout Youth Forum took place in 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia and the next will take place in 2017 in Azerbaijan.

The World Scout Committee

The World Scout Committee is the executive body of WOSM. It is responsible for the implementation of the resolutions of the World Scout Conference and for acting on its behalf between its meetings.

The Committee is composed of the following members:

Voting members:

· Twelve elected members, each from a different country. They are elected by the World Scout Conference by secret ballot, for a three-year term. The elected members are eligible for re-election for an additional term, serving a maximum of six consecutive years.

Ex-officio non-voting members:

· The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of each duly elected Regional Scout Committee

· The Secretary General of WOSM

· The Treasurer, who is appointed by the World Scout Committee

· A member of the Board of the World Scout Foundation

The Committee normally meets twice a year. Its Steering Committee, consisting of the Chairperson, two Vice-Chairpersons and the Secretary General, meets as needed.

World Scout Bureau

The World Scout Bureau (WSB) is the Secretariat of the World Organization. The Bureau is directed by the Secretary General of WOSM, who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the World Organization. The Secretary General is appointed by the World Scout Committee.

The World Scout Bureau comprises of approximately 120 staff, based in 8 locations around the world:

· WSB Kuala Lumpur Office - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

· WSB Geneva Office - Geneva, Switzerland

· WSB Africa Region Office - Nairobi, Kenya

· WSB Arab Region Office - Cairo, Egypt

· WSB Asia Pacific Region Office - Makati City, Philippines

· WSB Eurasia Region Office - Kiev, Ukraine

· WSB European Region Offices - Geneva, Switzerland and Brussels, Belgium

· WSB Interamerican Region Office - Panama City, Republic of Panama

The legal seat of the World Scout Bureau is located in Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretary General’s Office is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

THE BSP STRUCTURE

THE BSP KEY 3 OFFICIALS

THE BSP DOUBLE TRACK PLAN

THE "GREAT PARTNERSHIP"

**** Special thanks to Sctr. Leonides Son, LT for the picture presentation

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

A Revitalized Activity

This activity proposal was conceptualized when the writer became Chairman of the LC Advancement Committee. However, series of events delayed the proposal and somehow hold the idea momentarily. As being required at many scouting manuals, handbooks and other publications on advancement, a 4-day survival hike is prescribed for the Eagle Scout Rank. Unfortunately, most Philippine schools are not in conjunction with BSP activity framework with regards to the length of time students can devote on an important scouting activity for advancement.

Still, there are varieties of challenges and exercises being held if only given enough time to inject all those in the proposed activity. Challenges and exercises Reality-Based TV series like “Survivor”, “Amazing Race”, “Eco-Challenge”, and “Urban Challenge”, and other publications like Team Building Games (Jim Spears), David McClelland’s Motivational Theories, Business balls Research and Organizational Development (Alan Chapman) and Scouting Games by Sir Robert Baden-Powell gave inspiration to come up with this activity proposal.

After years of joining with the Laguna Council Scouts’ regular advancement activities at our campsite in Barangay Anibong, Pagsanjan, Laguna, I found out that local practice on some major activities need to be revitalized with extra vigor, much as to realize its importance in its execution and become more interesting and exciting for the boys.

The Survival Hike is one activity of the LC scouts that I feel should be resurrected. Giving more spirit to the activities concocted with the latest trends on exciting outdoor tasks will effectively give our boys the benefit we want them to acquire. More exciting exercises and improved design on outdoor activities adaptable to our present generation, as popularly called the Generation X.

In this times of the “Reality Genre”, while we still want our youth to be conscious of themselves and to their environment, we should also be giving them the latest twist on outdoor trends so it become more interesting to them.

The revitalized activity is designed to re-establish and improve communication, build trust, increase confidence and bond members to each other and to the organization. With the added challenges injected in the revitalized activity, our boys will confront series of challenges that will definitely improve their Leadership, Communications, Trust-Building, Resource management, Time management, Problem solving capabilities, Creativity under pressure, Practical reasoning, Confidence and self-image. These series of activities encourages the boys to be aware of the benefits of “Teamwork” designed and taught to instill pride and be victorious in any challenge. By continuous efforts providing up-to-date outdoor activities and sports trends, boys’ interest on scouting and the entire scouting organization will be preserved as well.

After the activity, the boys will feel more energized, motivated and inspired to achieve excellence because they have been challenged to reach their personal best. The mental, emotional, and physical challenges they face will bond them into a team, one that can achieve far more together than its individual members. The activity will guide the boys, teach them new skills in all areas of team work, and then force each team member to put those techniques to use on challenging problems which can only be solved by team work.

“Survival Hike” as the term submits means withstanding challenges brought about by the revitalized activity. Although the activity suggests challenges testing the boys’ capability to be by their own selves during the hike, we take special precautions to insure the health and safety of all participants at all times—we always err on the side of caution. We can’t say the boys will always be comfortable or pampered, but with the revitalized activity, they will always be safe.

LOGISTICS

Duration: Half-day activity continued by an overnight program and hike retreat to be conducted at last Control Point.

Location: LC Campsite at Barangay Anibong, Pagsanjan, Laguna including adjacent parcels ofland extended at Barangay Bangco, Cavinti & Barangay San Salvador, Malaguin, BAulajo and Balanac, Luisiana.

Hike Length: 5-8 kilometers

STRATEGY

1. The injection of exciting “team building” exercises during the hike that will bring out the best of the boys’ character.

2. The introduction of manned Control Points (CP) to regularly check boys’ performance during hike.

3. Giving the boys exciting tasks require to withstand all challenges in every CP in order to advance to the next CP.

4. Hike in the wilderness is more appreciated if there are available exercises to perform and to develop not only team work but consciousness to the environment.

5. While monitoring boy’s performances through the strategic CP, ensure that the boys will not, in any way loose control of their tracks and their behavior during the activity.

6. At every challenge to perform on every CP, at stake is the boys’ water and food to encourage winning the challenge and advance to the next CP.

7. Installation of manned CP provides immediate help in case of accidents.

8. There is this one CP installed halfway of the hiking course where the boys will report their present condition over the radio which the HQ will acknowledge and eventually congratulate them for their performance and giving them moral support they wanted to go on and finish the survival hike at expected time.

9. Leaders designated at every CP can ensure that every task was being cleared by the boys and that every boy participant can be accounted for during the activity. Cleared CPs are reported over the radio for updates.

10. The use of trail signs is still encourage and in fact being revitalized.

11. At the end of the hiking course, last groups to arrive are treated with much importance, respect and expectation because food cannot be served and eaten until all groups are present.

12. In the end, before finally retiring from a long and exhausting day, leaders will have a chat with the boys, telling stories, sharing experiences, and instructing the boys of the secrecy of the survival hike details to maintain its integrity and excitement to the next batch who will undergo similar training.

BASIC GADGETS

CP Markers
Hike Tickets
Fast Forward Ticket (FFT)
Bread for the boys (prize for the challenge)
Radio equipment
Gadgets for puzzles and games
First Aid Kit
Improvised trail signs
Participants Rooster
Food at the last CP

Firewood, kerosene, match, pot, water, oatmeal, sugar, cup, bowl for each group, spoons

Flag for every group participant

E A G L E S

EAGLE if there are five groups participating the Survival Hike; EAGLES if 6 groups; GO EAGLE if 7; GO EAGLES if 8 groups

CP Markers – Colored Markers clearly recognizable by the participants during the hike.

Hike Tickets – (HK) Guide that describe the next CP. Description can be in many forms such as distance from the last CP, terrain to get to the CP, landmarks, position and location of the CP Markers, and what’s instore at the CP. Guides are written similar to tagalong riddles.

Participants’ Rooster – During Leaders’ Instructions before taking off to the Survival hike, participants should write their names, vividly and clearly (in print) at the participants’ rooster for proper information of every boy participant.

First Aid Kit – Leaders manning every CP should bring with them First Aid kit and always keep it handy when the need arises.

Fast Forward Ticket – A Fast Forward Ticket (FFT) should be given to expedite the hike of a group and skip the next CP. Giving FFT is not recommended to boys in training. However, the designers of this activity reserve a situation where a group should be permitted to use FFT for some very remote but understandable situation (eg. Accident, bad weather, group/s who lost track and are running out of time).

MANPOWER

Scout Leader at each CP (depending on the number of CP to be installed) Scout Leader operation as Base Radio Station in the camp or HQ

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Map to be used by the leaders

Beyond Impressions

A tale of unseen fervor beyond ordinary

Immersion Surprises

Immersion activity at the Rover Moot defines it from any other activity in Philippine Scouting. It involves challenges for anyone will not know what to expect until one IMMERSEs with people. It needs a cleric heart to get motivated to work hard and finish the task. The Rover Moot was set at the Province of Aklan. To bring help no matter little and to ease burden no matter short-ending.

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) badly ravaged the Philippine Visayan Region. Though not being mentioned in the Philippine news as hyped as Tacloban-Leyte area, the province of Aklan was roughly torn by the typhoon. The Aklanons remain silent, unaware or perhaps unfrenzied by all the annoyance and hypocritic relief episodes being exposed in the news every day. Seeing the place at first glance would anyone realize they too are screaming for help.

The Call

In such short notice, I was asked to be part of the 5-man team to participate in the Immersion activity at the 10^th National Rover Moot in Aklan, Panay Islands, Philippines.

Given a round-trip air ticket, all-expense paid details with exclusive airport transfers, I decided to go and left my alone wife who will be celebrating her birthday a day following my departure. It was indeed surprising on her for I never did leave her on her special day all 20 years of our married life. Though lonely and feeling abandoned but given the worthy cause of my departure, she finally gave way.

The 5-man Laguna Council team was dispatched to Brgy Polo, municipality of New Washington, province of Aklan. I will lead the three other Laguna participants in the immersion while our Scout Executive was part of the monitoring staff in the locality. Without much validation of my being in the place I realize, my presence would dictate our goal: to deliver well and genuinely in the immersion activity.

Call of duty

Riding a local tricycle chartered in Kalibo, we wandered at the town finding our designated accommodation site. We had checked three public schools before we found it. It was already dusk when we arrived at Polo Elementary School in New Washington. Anxious to settle-in, we still need to wait for the person in-charge to get down and recognize us. Hungry and apprehensive I told my team, the challenges have just started. The hunger has already forgotten when we had our first dinner. But thanks anyway, dinner, at last! Finally, I met Mr. Principal whom he temporarily offered his office for our first night stay. As I understood, there was no other room available so we need to improvise. The principal’s office is already being used as mess area for the school’s teaching support staff for the activity. And so after dinner….we removed all plates, glasses and spoons on the tables for those tables will serve as our bed for the night. Challenging indeed for my team as I watched them tossed and turned the entire night finding a way to lay their weary bodies to rest. They were not used to it I supposed.

While waiting at the principal’s office earlier, I had a chance to meet and talked to “Julito” a teacher who told me stories of their flight caused by the typhoon. He said, he will do something the following day to help us on our accommodation. I welcomed his idea and thank him in advance.

Early next day, a room was given to us. Julito even introduced me to the teacher/adviser named “Analyn” whom she said was requested by the principal to join the 3-day Immersion activity. This means that the children will not have their classes for 3 –days to give way for our stay. Ms. Analyn, the adviser even handed to me the classroom key. I felt extra lucky realizing the trade-off but could not help feeling guilty of the sacrifices which the people need to undertake only to provide for us. The entire New Washington participants may not know but we were the luckiest persons in the area that time having the best shelter the place can offer.

Having said we were the luckiest, at the back of my mind we really need to perform well on our assigned tasks to compensate for all the privileges given to us.

In our three-day immersion activities we were brought to Ochiando Elementary School for a clearing tasks, Dumaguit Elementary School to get to order the ragged covered court and school stage, Fatima Shoreline Elementary School to clear a big mango tree which put the entire 2-classroom school building down, Cawayan Elementary School to cut into pieces branches and trunks of Narra trees hoping to salvage or if not make charcoal out of them and lastly, New Washington Central Elementary School for more clearing tasks. We did it. And we did it above par! I have to commend my team for their complete submission to the immersion activity. They had cuts and bruises same as I but we never did realize those as excuses and just went on with our assigned tasks.

Impressions of an eager roverette

It never crossed my mind to check other participants for it was not my job anyway. Never did we know that there was another team who arrived later than us: the Lanao del Norte 5-man team composed of 2 Scout leaders, 2 roverettes and a rover.

They came in half-day late on the first day of the immersion activity. I just heard about it during our closing activity, night of our third day of stay in Polo Elementary School. At the program, some participants shared their impressions on the concluded activity and there was this young lady from Mindanao who gave hers. Petite, burnt with sun, with wavy long hair which I think has not given enough pampering due to our busy activities. But despite that, she never seized to smile whenever being stared by anyone. And there she went ahead of her prepared speech: a eloquently spoken Pilipino piece (tagalog ) whom I realized later that she was the one from Mindanao!! Great demonstration of effort.

Beyond Impressions

She is “Via” from Sultan Naga Dimaporo (SND) of Lanao del Norte. She, together with her team traveled 3 days and 3 nights from Lanao to Cagayan de Oro City, crossing the sea by boat to Cebu then land traveled to Bacolod, from Bacolod to Iloilo by boat, then finally a long and rugged land travel from Iloilo to New Washington in order to render service to the victims of typhoon in any way they can.

The impressive piece given by Via is heart-warming but the astounding efforts and sacrifices by the team just to get to participate in a valuable cause such as a Rover Moot has struck me the most. A total submission of one’s self for a worthy cause.

We had a chance to mingle with The Lanao de Norte team during our trip back to Kalibo. They were our travel mates from New Washington and our roommates too in Kalibo Pilot Elementary School. Simple, silent and unassuming….I had a little chat with them when there was opportunity.

Upon our arrival at Kalibo, we went at once at our assigned room and settled-in. While we, the Luzon people were busy preparing for our respective places to sleep on….the Lanao team busied themselves for their travel arrangements going back home. I heard they will again land travel from Kalibo to Iloilo; sleep-over at BSP Iloilo City Council and air travel from Iloilo to Cagayan de Oro. From Cagayan de Oro, another humpy and bumby ride episodes going home.

After dinner at around 7 pm when it was already dark because of the general blackout in Aklan, we prepared ourselves to retire. Not minding the ravenous mosquitoes, we immediately fell asleep because perhaps of exhaustion. Early morning when I got up, I saw our roommates still in their deep sleep. They are lying down on the room’s floor with their pretty malongs on. Looking at them in an instance reminded me of the beautiful Maranao people of Mindanao. Almost glittering in their traditional malong costumes, showing how beautiful its people and their rich culture. Eye-catching and attractive, my mind traveled to the land of the beautiful – Mindanao. Hands down, I admire them not only for their beautiful malongs but their modesty a true and honest display of scouts’ ideal character.

Moments later, they finally got up. We greeted each other “good morning” and once more I took the chance of talking to them. With their malongs still on, I invited them for a short walk outside and some photo opts that they graciously accepted. Indeed, it was a fruitful-enlightening chat with them. Dreaming to become, a journalist, a certified public accountant and a civil engineer someday, with their outlook in life-- I am truly hopeful that they can become what they want to be in due time!

Lucid thoughts

Today, as I again watch these good pictures taken of our encounter with the people from the land of the beautiful, Mindanao. As I again read the original manuscript given to me by Via that she used to deliver her impression in the Rover Moot. Sincerely, It gave me another good reason to get inspired and inspire people. They may not be as big or as brawny as ours today. They may not bring up a 6 years old tattered narra tree and put it back to life once more; they may not climb a roof and reinstall galvanized sheets for a school classroom should need to be prepared again; they cannot carry big chunks of tree trunks that were ravaged by the storm and pile them up to be recycled as charcoal. It’s just their genuine hearts to offer a little help to the needy. A true sense of compassion to people who needs support the time they need it most. Even a touch of plain sympathy to those people in grief can be very astounding if expressed timely. And it was what I have seen in the Lanao del Norte team. More than what we accomplished in the performance of our tasks in New Washington, more than our sweat, more than our pains….it’s plain Sincerity. We salute you! Via, Doreen, King John, Sir Imperial and Ma’am Bado.