BOHOL, June 13 (PIA) -- Bohol boasts of over a million volunteers as the two-month long run of nation-building activities rooted in the spirit of bayanihan came to a close on Independence Day. The official exact number of volunteers will be announced after all the tallies are in.
Bohol Bayani Challenge capped off the million volunteer campaign on Independence Day with the 262 km. Prayer Chain activity which turnout was expected to be at 100,000.
According to Bayani Challenge Provincial Coodinator Liza Quirog, as of June 10, Bohol has mobilized 670, 575 volunteers.
Of this number, over 200,000 volunteers came from 29 of the 48 local government units while over 30,000 volunteers were mobilized from the various sector groups.
At least 20,000 more volunteers will have come from the remaining LGUs that held their Bayani Challenge activities just this week.
Brigada Eswela in the entire Division of Bohol currently posts over 100,000 volunteers in 38 of the 54 districts, which does not yet include the numbers from the City Division Office.
Bohol is among 12 disaster-stricken provinces that hosted Bayani Challenge this year, and the only province in which the program was implemented across all towns and in the City.
The total number expected is over a million volunteers with 35,000 least expected from the remaining 16 Districts of the DepEd Division of Bohol and 5,000 least expected from Division of Tagbilaran Brigada Eskwela; 279,000 will have volunteered during the June 11 activity of the Dep. Ed - Division of Bohol while 19,361 will come from the Division of Tagbilaran.
Gov. Edgar Chatto congratulated local leaders, non-government organizations, and the private sector for the grand showcase of bayanihan in the province, as Bohol alone rounds up over a million volunteers, which was the goal for all 12 sites.
Chatto also institutionalized volunteerism days every April 9-June12 through the Volunteer and Citizenship Program, a continuing and yearly campaign.
The governor signed Executive Order No. 16, Series of 2014 for such purpose during the Closing Ceremonies.
DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman, who was guest of honor at the Independence Day program also hailed Bayani Challenge in Bohol as proof that freedom from poverty and other forms of hardships do not need great heroic acts.
Boholanos are showing the country that when everybody takes part in efforts to improve the lives of its people, the task of building a better Bohol is sure to succeed, she said.
Aside from rebuilding homes, debris clearing, repairing schools, conducting health missions, tree planting activities, road and coastal cleanups, fun learning activities, Bohol saw unique activities such as coral restoration at Balicasag Island.
Other activities also included Niyog ko para sa Paaralan ko in San Isidro, Labayanihan and mass wedding in Valencia, rice harvesting in San Miguel, Litrato with senior citizens in Dagohoy, cow milking in Ubay, Balay sa Kabus in Jagna, a dance and ukelele clinic in Danao, tilapia seeding in Calape and a Color Run in Tubigon, among others.
Themed "Walang Iwanan", the biggest bayanihan event is spearheaded by Pilipinas Natin, in partnership with Gawad Kalinga is now on its 8th year in its campaign to inspire Filipinos to make volunteerism a lifestyle. (mbcn/PIA7 with reports from Bohol EDCOM)