Volunteer Champion: Pursuing Passion with Sobina Yu, Hiraya Manawari Founder

iVolunteer—in its quest to strengthen volunteerism in the Philippines—annually recognizes youth volunteers who make extraordinary contributions. They are called Volunteer Champions because they exemplify iVolunteer’s core values: Integrity, Professionalism, Inclusivity, Nationalism and Change Leadership. These individuals are young in years but rich in meaningful experience. The third instalment in the Volunteer Champion series will show […]

Volunteer Champion: Getting to Know John Mauro Manuel, Founder of I-SAVED

Volunteer champions are ordinary individuals who make extraordinary contributions in their advocacies. The search for Volunteer Champions—now on its second year—is an annual event organized by iVolunteer Philippines. It’s an avenue to recognize and appreciate volunteers who exemplify the organization’s core values: Integrity, Professionalism, Inclusivity, Nationalism and Change Leadership. John Mauro Manuel, a 30-year-old teacher […]

DestiNASYON: Finding One’s Advocacy and Volunteering In Time of Crisis

Every volunteer has a story to tell and iVolunteer Philippines have shared some of these wonderful narratives in many different ways over the years. This time, we are highlighting the journey of our volunteer staff through the lens of our #MagkaJuanGawa campaign; which invites everyone to catch a glimpse of how our own staff were able to find the means and the time to channel their professional or personal background into their respective roles in iVolunteer, and of course, talk about what volunteering meant for them over the course of their journey.

What Makes an Everyday Hero?

Bilang pakikiisa sa ika-121 na Araw ng Kalayaan, nais ihandog ng iVolunteer Philipines ang ilan sa mga natatanging indibidwal na nakasama namin at nagsilbing inspirasyon para sa kanilang mga kasamahan. Sila yung kung tawagin namin ay “Everyday Heroes.” Mga ordinaryong tao na gumagawa ng mga simpleng bagay nang boluntaryo at walang hinihinging kapalit.

Joyce Armillo: “Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things”

It didn’t happen in an instance. I just let myself enjoy every volunteer opportunity that I joined. I never closed myself to learning new things and discovering a new culture.

Jasmine Salem: “Go Back to Your Why and Cling to It”

Start with your why. Why are you volunteering? Find the purpose within and cling to it. Whenever you have doubts, or tired of doing what you do, always go back to that why.

Animal Rescue PH: “We Are an Independent Solo Rescuer”

Upon mention, you might be inclined to imagine that they are a huge and well-funded org. However, as Luzviminda would passionately describe, they’re far from an ideal NGO that we see on digital media and print.

The Perfect Sopas: Ang Karinderia ni Mang Urot

Rainy days are starting to set in. Panahon nanaman ng mga payong, bota, kapote, ulan, bagyo at baha. At panahon na din ng mga bangkang papel at syempre – ng mainit na sopas ni nanay.

Move Over Avengers: The Rise of a New Hero League

Color theory suggests that red is the color of power, no doubt fit for a warrior. It is the color of fire and blood – of passion and life. But today is not about the rest of the mainstream heroes and their conspicuous red capes. Today is about ordinary people joining forces to create a real-life hero league – the Red Cross.

Teacher Fe’s Lifelong Journey to Educate and Inspire

Teacher Fe is the founder of Journey of Hope, an advocacy that aims to provide education to the less privileged children. Kabayani Community Training Center and Education under the Bridge are two of the main programs under Journey of Hope.

Volunteering: A Different Kind of Romance

Many of us are searching for true love—a soulmate who will make us feel complete in a world that’s ever-changing. But love is a vast enterprise. It’s more than the giddy emotions we have when we see our crushes and more than the palpitations we feel on our first kiss. In limiting our view of love, we forget that true love comes in various forms, and that service is love in its truest form.

Little by Little, Day by Day

“. . . I understood today that I have amazing friends who have good hearts and that there are amazing strangers and unsung hero volunteers doing this tirelessly with zero recognition. And perhaps that will never be enough to make a big difference in this cruel world we live in. But it will have to […]

Granting Wishes, Reaping Smiles

At twenty seven years old, Danimei Everett manages to be the Program Officer of Make-A-Wish Philippines, an organization that grants the wishes of children with critical illnesses. She handles the wish-granting events, as well as the volunteer events.

It’s All About Love!

Today is Hug Your Hound Day, a day to give our furry friends an extra big hug and extra nice treats. It is undeniable that the love they give us is sometimes undeserved—a love given in spite of cancelled walks, long and lonely hours at home, missed meals and small cages. But today, let us […]

This is How We Build A Life of Purpose

For many people, myself included, we are often inclined to treat volunteering as an extracurricular activity. It’s a productive use of free time, a chance to give depth to an otherwise ordinary day.