Bacolod
East Rotaract
Wins Outstanding
Youth Club Award
 Besting
200 entries form all across the country, the Rotaract Club of Bacolod East
made history a few weeks ago by making it to the Top Ten Youth
Oragnizations in the Philippines.
Youth Club Award
The TAYO is the country’s premier award body in recognizing the collective
efforts of the youth in contributing to the betterment of others and the
community and was initiated courtesy of the efforts of Senator Francis
“Kiko” Pangilinan in tandem with the Office of the President through the
National Youth Commission.
The East Rotaractors first heard about the TAYO through a friend and toyed
with the thought of joining the contest although the expectations were at
best modest.
Our project entry was the phenomenally successful Negros Eco-Race which
kicked off last year. The uniqueness of this cool and hip, albeit noble
project gave us the impetus to be optimistic about our chances.
It’s not everyday that something so environment-friendly could also be so
youth-friendly. That’s what the Eco-Race was all about. And maybe that was
what must have impressed the judges in the course of the presentation.
After qualifying for the regional finals I flew to Cebu to convince the
Visayan judges through a powerpoint presentation that we have what it
takes to be counted among the best youth groups.
Out of ten Visayan finalists, five were chosen to represent the region for
the national finals. The experience was personally tension-filled but
after learning that the Rotaract Club of Bacolod East made it to the top
five, the exhilaration and delight more than made up for the
tension-related fever that felled me after the presentation.
There were three organizations from Iloilo which likewise made it to the
national finals along with another one from Cebu. We were the lone winner
from Bacolod and the whole of Negros Island.
All roads led to Manila for the national finals with the pronouncement and
awarding of winners taking place in Malacañan Palace. This time I gave out
more than my best during the presentation to impress top caliber judges
which included the good senator Pangilinan in its highly esteemed rooster.
Of the twenty finalists from Mindanao, Visayas, NCR and Luzon, only two
from the Visayas made it—the group from Cebu and that sole entry from
Bacolod. Winning the award was exciting…I mean..electifying…how
about..enchanting…truly words could not capsulize the experience.
A finely-sculpted trophy was now in the bag, along with P50, 000.00 cash
grant from the National Youth Commission.
We at the Rotaract Club of Bacolod East always believed that recognition
is a result and not so much a goal. And if we get recognized at all for
our efforts, we never thought it’s going to unfold right at the Heroes
Hall in Malacañang.
Right now the second edition of the Eco-Race is about to get underway. If
one may think that the first edition of the project was extraordinary,
well he ain’t seen nothing yet.
More power to us all in the Rotary East family and congratulations as
well!
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