WORK TOGETHER. WIN TOGETHER.

Written by:

JCI Sen. Mark Joseph David 2020 National President

Someone once said “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success”.

When I took my oath as the National President of JCI Philippines in October 2019, I had a whole year planned for JCI Philippines. Then 2020 came and as we all know, it was far from what we had imagined. First, we welcomed 2020 with the Taal Volcano eruption. Oplan Kaagapay was activated and JCI Philippines and our many local organizations were at the ground to provide immediate and much needed help. Then COVID-19 came in with a sucker punch and changed our lives as we knew it. Inductions, fellowships, and projects which make up a huge part of our JCI life were cancelled to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We switched to virtual meetings and projects. Oplan Kaagapay and Got Heart were activated and despite the limited movement allowed, local organizations were able to deliver aid. Projects related to mental health during quarantine were also conducted by local organizations. In a nutshell, we did not allow the year that was to break us. Quite the opposite, we worked even harder to make our JCI creed, mission, and vision a reality.

As we braced for the new normal and all the changes that came with it, the officers, the secretariat and the members all did more than their part to ensure that the organization was able to cope with these changes, thrive, and come out stronger. However, what most people weren’t able to see are the partnerships made by JCI Philippines with other organizations who share the same beliefs, visions, goals and “whys”. Seeing the effect of the quarantine to our community made these organizations even more committed to partner with JCI Philippines to create positive change in our communities.

WORKING WITH PALAWAN EXPRESS & PALAWAN PAWNSHOP

With Palawan Express and Palawan Pawnshop being led by Mr. Bobby Castro, a true blooded JCI member from JCI Puerto Princessa Oil, the partnership towards promoting quality education through our program YLEA or Youth Leadership Excellence Award remained strong on its third year and as we inspire and motivate the youth to be better leaders. In 2020, aside from distributing the award to students, JCI Philippines also maximized the sponsorship and supported the another national program which is Bags to School. Truly, Mr. Castro gives truth to the saying “Once a jaycee, always a jaycee”.

WORKING WITH PLDT & SMART

The Outstanding Young Men & Women is an award given to extraordinary men and women working towards creating a better future. PLDT & Smart worked hand in hand with the TOYM Foundation in ensuring that this award continues to contribute in building a stronger Philippines, a stronger nation. Led by Mr. Manuel Pangilinan, a TOYM Honoree himself, PLDT & Smart remained a strong partner for TOYM, allowing JCI Philippines to continue with the program’s mission and vision and ensuring its significance in today’s world.

WORKING WITH THE TOYM FOUNDATION

With TOYM being an award of great significance, JCI Philippines and the TOYM Foundation continue to uphold the standards expected from an award of great esteem. In addition to ensuring the integrity of the award, TOYM Foundation, thru the leadership of Mr. Bienvenido Tantoco III, TOYM Chairman, and Mrs. Chaye Cabal-Revilla, TOYM President, both TOYM Honorees themselves, has pushed for support in helping frontliners in their fight against COVID-19. The program

now is stronger than ever through the active participation and leadership from both honorees in the Foundation. Helping JCI Philippines navigate through the new normal and ensuring that amidst the pandemic in 2020, TOYM would be a success and continue to share stories of extraordinary individuals and motivate, inspire and mold the future generation of this country.

Aside from these stories that helped JCI Philippines accomplish more amidst the new normal because of the pandemic, we have other partners such as a US Firm who partnered with JCI Philippines thru their CSR partner BENEVITY to help fight the spread of COVID-19 thru our national programs – Oplan Kaagapay and Got Heart, individuals like Mr. KARLO NOGRALES and our very own Cong. ALFRED VARGAS who supported our program – the Youth and Leadership Excellence Award (YLEA), LAZADA which provided us an online platform where we can raise funds for our various programs. We also have ADVANTAGE led by our former National President and JCI Secretary General DENNIS CUNANAN that repeatedly supported our programs such as TOYM and Oplan Kaagapay and LARK, which organized a business growth and sustainability seminar for our members. These organizations and so many other partners of JCI Philippines have greatly contributed to the success of our various programs implemented in 2020.

In the words of Cong. Alfred Vargas for YLEA awardees, “all our resources are limited but you will find out that if we share what we have with each other, we will always have enough”. While I don’t want to sentimental, I truly believe this. When we were young we were taught the miracle in feeding the multitude when Jesus and his disciples were able to feed 5,000 people with only two loaves of bread

and five fish. What we weren’t taught though, is that the miracle there was not simply that that the supply had miraculously been enough, but that other people, seeing the need of others and how others were sharing the limited resources, were also inspired to share what little they also had. Our financial and material resources will always be scarce considering the many challenges that we face everyday. What we don’t lack though, is human resources. When we tap other chapters or organizations, the positive change we create has an exponential effect. The past year was a testament to this. If anything, the pandemic may have kept us physically apart but more united in our burning desire to make this world a little better each day than it was the day before. May this passion to lead and serve keep burning in us everyday. May this passion burn so bright that other organizations will see our us and join our fight for positive change.