iVolunteer Champion: Fighting for an Inclusive Society with Rod Charlie Delos Reyes 

Annually, iVolunteer Philippines recognizes outstanding volunteers in the country by giving the iVolunteer Champion award which is anchored in the organization’s five (5) core values: Integrity, Inclusivity, Nationalism, Professionalism, and Changed Leadership. 

Last year, Rod “Charlie” Delos Reyes, 31, an occupational therapist by profession and an active volunteer from the municipality of Lemerey, Batangas, was awarded the iVolunteer Champion 2023 for Nationalism. 

As a volunteer, Delos Reyes is really committed to helping people, providing services, and making ways for them. Others may see Charlie quite accomplished with his awards and achievements, but for Charlie, he would still feel that his progress and contribution through volunteering is little or unseen. Although he gets tired like any other human being and volunteer, he is aware that he can do volunteering in a way that he is giving a part of himself to the community. Despite the tired mind and body, he wakes up to a new day reminded by a purpose that was planted in his heart. 

Charlie is humbled and grateful to have received the iVolunteer Champion 2023 for Nationalism award which reminded him of how to value the different platforms that exist in forwarding diverse advocacy that can help his “kapwa” (fellow Filipinos) and making people believe in the causes that he and his fellow volunteers are pushing for the benefit of those who are in need. Thus, he considers the award a reaffirmation of what he has done and continuously does for the community through his advocacy. He is more empowered now and for him, the change that the iVolunteer Philippines brought to his life can’t be put into words. 

Now, he fervently continues his volunteer ways as the Executive Director of the Open Arms Organization, non-profit organization that aims to support and empower people in the margins;  Charlie, together with his fellow volunteers in their organization, constantly makes opportunities for people with different abilities as he believes that “an inclusive society is possible within our lifetime.”  

They have already partnered with somea few Local Government Units (LGUs) in the country to provide free services to persons with different abilities or those who belong to Persons With Disabilities (PWD). Their initiative helps a lot, especially for those who financially struggle considering that medical services are quite expensive in the country. Thus, they made occupational therapy sessions free to those who are truly in need of the services. They also do free virtual consultations to ensure that even those who are far away can be reached by the services they provide. 

Aside from the iVolunteer Champion 2023 for Nationalism award that he received, he also won the National Level Category for the Volunteerism Award of the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) in the same year which makes him more proud of the people who supported him as he dealt with so many things during those times. As he said, “Ako kasi, nakarating ako dito because some people believed in me and without those people, I wouldn’t be here. Kayo rin, lagi ko ‘tong sinasabi na always, always be thankful to the people around you.”

Truly, Charlie’s determination and gratitude in his volunteer journey is inspiring and can truly make someone wonder about the story behind it.  That is why when he was asked about it, he shared that his Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) parents are among the reasons why he is into volunteering aside from his dream of joining a non-profit organization. He witnessed his parents’ selflessness, of how they sacrificed so much as domestic helpers away from their loved ones just to provide them with a comfortable, better life.

His mother also helps her relatives and supports them financially. This reality made Charlie strive harder because he realized that other people, specifically his fellow Filipinos, also deserve to enjoy the same privileges that were given to him.

As a volunteer leader, he also goes through challenges such as limited resources, long bureaucratic processes, and constantly finding oneself. However, these things make him think outside the box and he is firm with seeing the silver lining in everything, just like what Catriona Gray said. He also reminds himself that, “good people with good intentions will always lead to something great… You just need to be patient for people to realize it.” 

Above all, he thinks that no man is an island and everything is about human connection. He also wants to tell those who aspire to volunteer to just try and see if their hearts are really meant for volunteering. He encourages everyone to “just keep trying and continue” because for him, “Volunteering is just actually a human action. It’s not supposed to be extraordinary power or thing because sharing yourself with the community is what makes us human. We should just be humans because that’s how we do.”

Indeed, Charlie is the living epitome of someone who truly cares about his fellow Filipinos, embodies nationalism, and finds a way to bring about good changes in the lives of the people far and near him.  

Lewi Origenes, iVolunteer Philippines