Alay Lakad '08 makes first step
ROXAS CITY -- The first step to realize the 2008 walk-for-a-cause was made by the Alay Lakad Roxas City Chapter, Inc. with the election of private and government institutions that will run the activity.
The activity will be held on October 3. Every year, it draws the participation of schools, barangays, local government units, government agencies, other government and community organizations, and civil society groups.
During the chapter meeting held September at the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the Kiwanis Club of Sumakwel was chosen as the overall chair of this year's walk with the Rotary Club of Roxas as the vice chair.
Dr. Dante Corros, head of the Office of the City Veterinarian and president of ALRCCI, said the walk-for-a-cause was conceived to help out-of-school youths (OSY) obtain a vocational-technical education and skills and provide financial assistance to their livelihood projects.
Elected to lead the various committees are the following: Walk – Philippine National Police, chair and Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion, vice chair; Public Relations – Philippine Information Agency, chair and KBP and NUJP, vice chair; Finance – Kiwanis Club of Sumakwel, chair and Rotary Club of Roxas, vice chair; Program – Filamer Christian College, chair and Capiz National High School, vice chair; Projects – Department of Education, chair and Rotary Club of Roxas, vice chair; Physical Arrangement – City Engineer's Office, chair and ALRCCI Secretariat, vice chair; and, Communication – Panay Radio Communicators, Inc., chair and Kabalikat Civicom and CVAT, vice chair.
City Mayor Vicente B. Bermejo is the honorary chairperson of the entire event.
The meeting, which was also attended by City Social Welfare and Development Officer Cynthia Besana and representatives of ALRCCI member-organizations, was also called by Corros to lay down the initial preparations for the local Alay Lakad which will have for its theme, "Kagalingan ng Kabataan, Responsibilidad ng Bayan."
Funds generated by Alay Lakad since its inception have given opportunities to dozens of OSYs to complete vocational-technical courses and skills trainings for gainful employment afterwards.
Corros said the chapter is also accepting proposals of OSY groups for livelihood projects that are self-liquidating and viable for funding by Alay Lakad.
In her speech during the Opening Program of "TVET (Technical-Vocational Education and Training) with ALIVE (Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education) TESDA - DepEd Jobs Fair for Muslims" at the Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC) in Pasay City, Sept. 3, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said we have committed to consolidate gains from a new revenue measure by making investment in physical and human infrastructure. This, she said, includes health care and training, along with millions of pesos for new bridges, roads and ports, millions of pesos for education.
"In training, halos walong milyong katao ang nakatapos sa ibat-ibang training program sa ating administrasyon, double the number in the previous 14 years. Hangad natin, kayong mga kabataan, matutong makasanayan na magagamit para sa inyong kinabukasan," said the President as she addressed members of the Muslim community who attended the program.
She added: "Ginagastusan natin ang iba't-ibang training programs, kabilang ang maikling pagsasanay na pagkakakitaan agad…" (PIA-JSC)