Mandaluyong Volunteer Group Wins Award

Learning and Innovation

by Moje Ramos-Aquino, FPM
The Manila Times
October 24, 2010

Soroptimist International (SI) of Mandaluyong City was adjudged third most outstanding club in the country for 2009-2010 during the regional conference held at Clark Fontana Resort, in Clark, Pampanga province. It was also a finalist (public awareness category) at the Soroptimist International in the Americas held in July in San Francisco, California.

Recently, the organization, headed by its president Viginia Peñalosa, signed a memorandum of agreement with Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City Police Station as part of its activities on the occasion of its 16th club founding anniversary and Soroptimist Week.

The signing ceremony, witnessed by Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, highlighted the regular Monday flag ceremony at the Mandaluyong City Hall where the city’s SI chapter was presented and recognized as one of the most active and leading NGOs in the area.

Adopt-a-Barangay
The “Adopt-a-Barangay” MOA with Highway Hills, headed by Barangay Chair Ronald Servillon, signifies the Soroptimist organization’s commitment to bring its volunteer services for women and girls to the local community through its nutrition livelihood, health and literacy projects.

On the other hand, the MOA with the PNP-WCPD Mandaluyong City Police Station, headed by Sr. Supt. Chief Carlos de Sagun, was in support of the police force in providing protection to abused women and girls through its public awareness campaign on the right of women and girls and to provide opportunity and assistance to deceiving policewomen who can attend seminars or fora, to further their knowledge and skills.

The club’s nutrition project, “Feeding children, Teaching mothers,” provides a six-month feeding program for undernourished girls, ages 3-5. It is incorporated with nursery classes to expose the children to early basic learning,m while their mothers attend workshops on valise formation, health and livelihood opportunities.

Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization for women in business and profession which works to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world.

The club officers of SI Mandaluyong are: Lucy Regala, vice president; Norma Mendez, secretary; Rosie Lardizabal, treasurer; Juanita Chua, auditor; Clara Lapus, PRO; and board members Perry Reyes (charter president), Ruth Flores, Maripaz Tagle-Chua, Susan Nieva and Becky Sunga.