Jaycees build for Gawad Kalinga

CEBU CITY (April 27) -- Members of Junior Chamber International (JCI) in Central Visayas gave a meaningful conclusion in their celebration of the National Jaycee Week last Sunday, April 23, with a BUILD activity for Gawad Kalinga (GK) beneficiaries at the GK Amazing Village in Sitio Tak-an, Budlaan II, Talamban district this city.

JCI Cebu-Mactan Channel organized the activity for the nine chapters in Cebu of JCI, a worldwide federation of young leaders and entrepreneurs. Even still just an aspiring member, Jun Pinili led the organizing team and coordinated with the GK leadership in Cebu and at the project site.

JCI Mem. Haidee L. Benedicto-Cayetano, JCI Philippines national vice president for Central Visayas, led the Jaycees in the BUILD activity that served well as a form of non-traditional fellowship and team building among the participants, 14 of whom from the host chapter.

GK Budlaan II project manager Undo Lim, also the coordinator of the Couples for Christ in Talamban, gave the "Jaycee Builders" an orientation of the vision and mission of Gawad Kalinga, and what their "labor contrinution" meant to the poor beneficiaries of the project.

He expressed hope that the Jaycees, known for their community-oriented projects, will begin to become very actively involved with the cause of Gawad Kalinga and help the movement attain its vision of building 700,000 homes in 7,000 villages by the year 2010.

Reflecting the desire of JCI C-MC members who took part in the BUILD activity, individual development commission Emi Rose R. Parcon said they would want to come back and would explore making it at least a regular monthly weekend activity with family members and friends.

Director Eric Martin M. Taghoy, also international affairs commissioner, also bared the plan of the chapter to find a partner abroad, whether a sister JCI chapter or a corporate entity, that could help find resources that could help build more homes and help GK achieve its vision.

Meanwhile, those who find interest to join JCI and be part of the mill that produces future entrepreneurial leaders may express their intent by email to jcicebumactanchannel@yahoo.com or by SMS to 0922-8-MACTAN.

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JAYCEE BUILDERS: JCI Philippines national vice president Haidee L. Benedicto-Cayetano (3rd from left, above) and some of the Jaycees in Central Visayas took part in the April 23 GK BUILD activity that concluded their National JCI Week celebration. Top: vice president Matet Calibugan leads her colleagues in JCI Cebu-Mactan Channel, the activity organizer, in giving their "labor contribution" to build homes for the poor at the GK Amazing Village in Budlaan, Cebu City.