Volunteers who work towards community and nation building are getting older, thus the Iloilo Coalition of Non-government Organizations and People's Organizations (ICON) has called on the Ilonggo youth to practice volunteerism.

“Volunteerism must be passed on to the next generation,” said ICON president Edwin Lariza in an interview over Kapihan sa Bali yesterday.

In line with the 13th celebration of the Non-Government Organizations and People's Organizations (NGO PO) Week  which opened Dec. 1, 2012, Lariza said some advocacy campaigns will be conducted in different colleges in the city  to encourage more young volunteers.

“We are not getting younger. We recognize that the value of service and volunteerism must be passed on to the next generation” in order to sustain the advocacies that help the community, he said.

One advocacy is ensuring that the public avail of all government services. 

ICON ensures that through the conditional cash transfer program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, “the poor get what is appropriated for them.”

He added, reports that some politicians in the city use the CCT program to advance their political motives, must be looked into.

It is the NGOs’ role to monitor if projects follow the set standards, he said.

“Hindi dapat gamiton nang sinuman ang ganitong programa,” he said.

Lariza further urged the public to report instances of “threats” against the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program to DSWD and even to Secretary Dinky Soliman. 

Meanwhile, Prof. Ruben Gamala, director of ICON said that volunteerism in the University of the Philippines has been institutionalized through the Ugnayang Pahinungod (UP). 

Gamala said that the students from UP are actively participating in issues that have national and local significance.

He further urged the youth sector to intervene in government transactions.*