Aiming to equip volunteers with essential skills and knowledge to uplift underserved communities, the UP Visayas Ugnayan ng Pahinungód/Oblation Corps successfully conducted the Arukahík 4.0, the UPV Pahinungód Volunteer Training Program.
The two-day training received a surge in interested participants with over 300 registrants, composed of UPV high school and college students, alumni, staff, reps, and faculty. Divided into two batches, the first batch was conducted on September 14-15 at the UPV Auditorium, Iloilo City. Meanwhile, the second batch was held on October 12-13 at the Liga Hall, Brgy. Guibongan, Miagao, Iloilo.
The participants underwent intensive training on Basic Facilitation, Project Management, Building Partnerships, Group Dynamics, and Community Development. The lectures were accompanied by team-building activities, allowing the participants to apply the knowledge they learned. Moreover, they were also tasked to pitch a project tailored to specific backgrounds and communities.
UPV Chancellor, Dr. Clement C. Camposano, and Vice Chancellor for Administration, Dr. Farisal U. Bagsit, delivered messages to the participants. In her opening remarks on the first batch of the training, Vice Chancellor Bagsit highlighted the historical significance of Pahinungód, emphasizing its role in giving UP back its soul.
Meanwhile, during his special message on the second batch of the training, Chancellor Camposano positioned Pahinungód as a vital form of socio-civic training, molding individuals into responsible citizens who actively contribute to their communities.
“The highest form of participation is citizenship, and volunteering for service to the community is one of the clearest enactments of citizenship. Pahinungód, UP's volunteer service corps, is an advanced form of citizenship education,” Chancellor Camposano said.
In total, there were around 200 participants qualified to become official volunteers. Marking the beginning of their new roles as Pahinungód volunteers, they took the Volunteer Oath led by UPV Pahinungód Director, Prof. Jerry Ian L. Leonida.
Following the successful conduct of the Arukahík 4.0, Pahinungód extends its gratitude to everyone who made the event possible: Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, UPHSI, Prof. Czarinnah G. Araneta, Prof. Alice C. Prieto-Carolino, and the UPV Pahinungód volunteers.
