DEVELOPMENTAL TRAINER AND ASSISTANT COORDINATOR FOR WMSU HANDOG

HANDOG VOLUNTEERS

 The Center for Hands of Goodwill of Western Mindanao State University opened its doors for me to serve as the Center’s Assistant Coordinator and Developmental Trainer.  

The Center’s Coordinator, Mr. Allain A. Paragas, a regular faculty of the College of Social Sciences was the one who recommended me to take on the challenge of developing the organization. Newly elected WMSU President Dr. Milabel E. Ho approved my application and thus my journey continued.

With my experience in training, I thought this work would just be very easy. Lesson: Never conclude and never underestimate any circumstances in your life or else you might regret it big time! As a Developmental Trainer, I’ve designed programs that were made fit for young students, credits to the 49^th National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute Conference I’ve attended last December of 2011. The Training part was no hustle it was the Assistant Coordinator function that made me in some point want to jump-off the building. (hahaha)

Government was a 360 degrees turn from what I’ve experienced in the Private Industry. I’ve entered an office which at first I could not accept it was even considered as an office. It had a broken Personal Computer, no printer and the place was very dusty. That was indeed a challenge that I was very much ready to face. I’ve started my first few days organizing and transforming the place into a cozy office not only for the employees but to the people whom we serve. I’ve implemented some guidelines and created structures and processes for the swift execution of its deliverables.

The Center for Hands of Goodwill or as it is more popularly known as HANDOG is the University’s Volunteer Services Provider. It has evolved from being just a responder to the needs of society to a more engaged organization capable of initiating programs for its stakeholders. It’s volunteers the member of the HANDOG VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZATION mostly students of WMSU supports all the programs of the Center. These volunteers are at the same time recipients of the Board Resolution (BR) 15 Scholarship Grant intended for indigent students of the University.

Within my short stay in the organization from June 2012 to January of 2013, we were able to produce various programs like the Aksyon WMSU Ngayon Program and Ayuda Luzon Project both are born out of the need to respond to the flood victims in Manila and Cagayan. Mobile Blood Letting activities in support of the programs of the Philippine Red Cross Chapter of Zamboanga City, the conduct of the SPEAK FORUM for the Youth and the EDSA People Power Salubungan Forum, attended and supported the MINDANAO WEEK FOR PEACE program of the Youth Solidarity for Peace in which HANDOG was cited as one of the DIYES INITIATIBO YA ENTRA SERVICIO (DIYES) a local version of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organization of the Philippines. Recently just this February HANDOG partnered with LENTE Zamboanga in the conduct of series of voter’s education for the WMSU Populace a project initiated by me before I left WMSU.

In HANDOG, I’ve made so many friends. The volunteers/scholars, my officemates Sir Allain and Ma’am Pips Jannatul and all our partners. As the students were learning from me, I too learned a lot from them. The experience was short but the memory will forever be cherished.

VENTURING NEW HORIZONS

When I was young, I remember doing the exercise called “Close-open.” It was a way for my parents to check my ability to recall, my span of attention and my motor skills. As I was growing, I realized the deeper lesson in that activity. Our parents thought us the value of “holding on” and the importance of learning when and how to “let go.”

For more than two years I was affiliated with The Phoinix Consulting Corporation, a training and consulting firm based in Zamboanga City. My experience started out as a project-based employee in December of 2010 until I was formally invited to join the team in May of 2011. Having graduated with a degree far from what is expected of me in the corporate world, I was still optimistic to be able to pull things through. I started as a Corporate Trainer in which I was exposed to program designs and conducted several runs and learning session. I remember doing evaluation activities after every run, we were asked to answer the following questions: 1. What went well and 2. What could have been done differently. Right then and there Ms Candy Antonio our Managing Director and Senior Consultant got my utmost respect and admiration. An organization that sees positive things, an organization that practices what they preach and an organization that is true to its cause of developing leaders. Remembered her asking me to read the book of Edward de Bono entitled The Six Thinking Hats, that was a real challenge for me as I was very lazy when it comes to reading but to my surprise she did not get angry but instead was challenged by me (oh no! Hahaha). I started out doing a “team-teach” trainings with a Senior Trainer, until such time that I was given my own opportunity grow on my own. Having been exposed to Phoinix was one of the greatest gifts God has given me. When I was younger, I was very much particular with “titles,” in Phoinix I’ve realized that what is not what’s after the comma placed after your name but what’s in between your ears. If I am to say in Spiderman’s way, “with heavy titles, comes greater (suuuuper great!) responsibilities! In three months time, I was promoted to Senior Program Coordinator. I’ve touched Marketing and Consulting projects for our clients. In the last months of the 2^nd quarter of 2012 I was being groomed to take on the position as Consulting Accounts Officer. Hell I was resisting it! Consulting seemed like a promising profession however you must also live-up to all its expectations and in that case I find myself not yet that ready. One day, after having a serious talk with my mom, I’ve realized that yes I am still young and that the world is too big for me to stop exploring more fields for growth.

 
From the movies we watch in the television more often than not people in the story resign because of failed office relationships, bad pay or they find no meaning in what they do. But my case is real and far from ordinary, would you believe that my boss helped me draft my resignation letter? She was even correcting my grammar and even gave me advises on how to improve my letter. I was really moved as to how she was still true to her promise of helping us learn even if it means loosing us (I hope she was not just hurriedly trying to get rid of me! hahaha). Yes saying goodbye is never easy but everything happens for a reason and only God knows what it is.

Thank you Phoinix Team! Thank you to our dear President and CEO Ms Lyn Datu my mentor and coach! Thank you too to our Managing Director Ms Candy Antonio my teacher, adviser, mentor and friend! Thanks Ms Nadia for always trying to connect amidst all the challenges! Thank you Ms Lyndy Lim for being a second mother to me and a friend! Thank you Ms Vianca for being a true friend and a supportive workmate! Thanks  too to Ate Ann Ufana for the food that she prepares for us for lunch! A thank you is not enough to express how truly grateful I am to have known all of you! Wish you all the best! Godspeed!