Raniag August 2020 RY 2020-2021 issue

RANIAG The Official Magazine of Rotary Club of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur August 2020 Edition, Rotary Year 2020-2021

TRANSFORMING TEAM ENVISIONS THE FUTURE

WHAT’S INSIDE

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News Opinion of the club president On New Normal of Education.

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Mental Health Matters.

Read some useful tips on how to support our friends and family.

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Column written by Rev. Ramelle J. Rigunay entitled The Ontological Goodness of Service

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Health first: RC Narvacan conduct Health and Wellness Day.

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Virtual: Participated TRISEM 2020 and Rotary Club Central Workshop.

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Look: Brigada Eskwela at Narvacan Central School, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

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In Action: RCN Members distributed Health Information Disease Prevention materials.

The Club is at its 25 years of existence.

On December 2009, the official logo was created after a contest was held for such propose.

True to form and its commitment of Service Above Self, the club endured and continued to unselfishly conduct various community and humanitarian projects in the community. As a consequence, the group Rotary Club became a by-word among the people and was gradually recognized in the community.

WHAT WE DO

Officers and Members of Rotary Club believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action for the betterment of our community.

VISION

The Rotary Club of Narvacan is a diverse group of leaders committed to making our local and global community a best place to live in Fellowship, we dedicate in engaging the communities to change lives for the better, and enrich ourselves with the sense of service above sf, for the good of humanity.

MISSION

To be in service, in the name of Truth, Fairness and Goodwill for the benefit of all.

ROTARY CLUB OF NARVACAN, ILOCOS SUR

CLUB HISTORY AND PROFILE

The Rotary Club of Narvacan was chartered and officially admitted membership to the Rotary International on June 12, 1996 under the sponsorship of its mother club, Rotary Club of Vigan, led by its President Danny dela Cruz and Rotary International District 3790 under the leadership of then governor Nelso Yutchungchan and AG Eddie Alcantara.

The formation of the Club was initiated by a group of civic-minded businessmen and professionals in Burgos, Sta. Maria, Nagbukel and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, with 25 charter members headed by its chapter president Juliet D. Viloria. Its first official meeting was held at the Balikbayan Hall located at San Jose, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. The first induction was held at the Municipal Hall of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

ON MY DESK

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Gilbert Cadacio Secretary, Rotary Club of Narvacan RY 2020-2021

n one of my online readings, I came across with this article that caught my attention and relatively gave me a clearer perspective in dealing with the New Normal in Education

This article was published in thejakartapost. com with the title “The new normal in education Opinion - The Jakarta Post

With the start of the new academic year in October just around the corner, educators and policymakers just have to be prepared for the new normal for the 50 plus million students across the country. In light of the joint ministerial decree by the education secretary, religious affairs minister, home minister and health minister announced on June 15, 2020 regarding the school reopening during the pandemic, schooling practices need to be reimagined and reshaped to prevent a possible second outbreak.

Lessons learned during the current school disruption should drive educators to change their perspectives and practices. Reshaping schooling perspectives and practices should deliberate on the why, who, what and how of education.

It is true that the current pandemic and concern over a potential second outbreak have disrupted traditional schooling practices, but the why of creating the new normal should go beyond the current pandemic and delve deeper than fear of illness.

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Reimagining a new forms of education may open doors for more equitable quality education for all young Filipinos. Despite all the COVID-19 maladies, the pandemic disruption has brought awareness to new possibilities in reviving our education system and in ushering young Filipinos into the future on a more level playing field.

Lessons learned from the sudden disappearance of the traditional classroom stage and the isolation of each learner in his or her own space should drive teachers to unlearn old habits and acquire new skills of online learning engagement. Thanks to the pandemic disruption, the online learning execution — no matter how disorderly and inequitable the practices are across the country — has forced teachers to realize that they have to reach out to each student in isolation and examine the effectiveness of their teaching.

Our ongoing research reveals that teachers’ fear of technology has given way to an emerging sense of obligation to master technology and explore ways to integrate it into their pedagogy in order to maintain their professional duties (Anita Lie et al., 2020). This awakened desire can hopefully snowball into concerted efforts to restore the teaching profession. By the same token, students need to build up a character of interdependence, discipline and responsibility.

Along the same lines, the current learningfrom-home practices should gear parents to be a beacon of these character values instead of extended academic tutors for their children.

(Continued to next page)

Unfortunately, this discourse within scholarly forums does not seep through the classroom walls and fails to influence the what of the education system. In the name of efficiency and system for the masses, the education enterprise found it impossible to meet such diversified needs of the learners.

Small-scale initiatives have emerged to customize learning in the forms of homeschooling, elitist schools and alternative schools.

Therefore, professional development is a continuing need for teachers not only to learn the skills but also to integrate the newly acquired skills into sound pedagogy.

While their success stories should be applauded, scaling up the best practices intended for the privileged few to serve the 44 plus million is a utopian endeavor. The school disruption has compelled all education stakeholders to accept the fact that what matters is not the completion of the written curriculum coverage but the recognition of students’ diverse needs and the discovery of possibilities to meet those needs through resources other than the teachers themselves. The teachers’ primary task is now to guide students to seek those possibilities. This new normal will hopefully drive education authorities to design a sustainable framework for a needsbased curriculum and provide a repertoire of learning modules.

Multiple types of literacy and modalities required to survive and contribute to the 21st century should be included in this curriculum.

With a renewed understanding of the why, who and what of education, the how is a matter of technicality. As Friedrich Nietzsche said: “If you understand the why, you can endure any how.” The learning-from-home isolation cannot continue forever. Children and youths need physical interaction with their peers as part of their learning processes. After all that teachers and students have gone through during this disruption, the new normal should be blended learning. Even if there is no postponement of the start of the academic year in the green zones, rotation models of blended learning can be a way to maintain social distancing in school, especially when classrooms are too cramped. Despite its promises, Clayton Christensen (2008) warns that effective technology integration requires a focus on pedagogy and practice, rather than an emphasis on technology and tools. He found that, although teachers integrated technology into their classrooms, the technology did not necessarily lead to student-centered learning processes. One caveat in this new normal is that teachers often use technology to perpetuate existing teacher-centered pedagogy rather than using technology to shift themselves and their teaching to student-centered pedagogy.

images taken from: https://blog.testproject.io/2020/04/05/adapt-your-qa-team-for-the-new-normal https://www.unifysquare.com/blog/remote-work-and-increased-challenges-for-it https://cnnphilippines.com/ https://practicebusiness.co.uk/enabling-and-supporting-staff-to-work-from-home

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THE ONTOLOGICAL

GOODNESS OF SERVICE Rev. Ramelle J. Rigunay

Beauty and goodness of life exist. Life is good because of beautiful circumstances and existential realities of blessings. Our respective families are a phenomenological proof of blessings from Above that are in consonance with the beauty and goodness of life. To manifest this beauty vis-a-vis goodness, love and service truly start in the family that these eventually extend outside of the smallest unit of our society.

Service is one detailed embodiment of love. Indeed, it begins at home. Love and service are manifestations of goodness and beauty in the domestic Church.

I wish to creatively underscore that while we acknowledge the significant value of service wherein each one of us is truly made for service, I personally associate it with priestly identity that recognizes service as one essential participation of the threefold mission of Christ for us- to be holy, to live the truth and to serve others.

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Being ordained, I am meant for service to the Most Holy through the sacramental presence of His Church, His people. My empirical recesses tell me that service purposely emphasizes that God reaches others through my simple hands.

Just like anyone else, an ordained is called for service. I am made for service. I am blessed to be of God’s instrument of reaching others even to the point of going to the grassroots level. And this is a concrete expression of service - to walk another mile in order to serve out of love. It is because love entails sacrifice for the sake of Christ.

I have been assigned in various places where people have diversed charisms and different life concepts. And in the phases of service, many faces of misunderstanding, misinterpretation and problem that result to conflict. These encounters are a visible sign for one to serve yet being shaken while he is on the boat of journey. (Continued to next page)

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eing misunderstood and misinterpreted by others greatly affect my horizon of service, my relationship with other people, my ministry and my whole life at large. Seemingly, the gradation of beauty and goodness of service has descalated. There seems to have senselessness in reaching out others especially those in the marginalized. The flame of love that I have in my heart may gradually come to its end. There exists conflict in the mission, in the service.

Webster’s dictionary presents conflict as a fight, battle, competitive or opposing action, a clashing or sharp disagreement as between ideas, interests or purposes. In the Bible, the historical Christ was confronted with conflict in the mission, in His service to the people in their time especially in His encounter with the Pharisees. Christ accused them of being hypocrites, because they solely focused on their manmade law instead of giving importance on the love of God when serving fellow human persons.

Christ confronted conflicts with facts, not with sole emotions. He used the truth about love, not as a feeling nor an emotion. Love here is a theological virtue that has become a significant way of life for a disciple of Christ to abide with. In the beginning, His vision has already been as clear as the crystal that His mission to love is expressed in bringing good tidings to the poor, making the lame walk and the blind see, freeing the people from their slavery (Isaiah 61). It is the same love that Christ has commanded us to do so in relating with one another and even in serving them with sincerity.

In the Gospel, John 15:12 amazingly narrates, “This is My commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” I believe that when my vision is aligned with the vision of Christ, my mission and service are to be coupled with love even in my relationship with people of different tastes and colors. For me, His love is the unifying command of all advocacies and ideologies.

That all may indeed be one and arrive at a common vision patterned after the One who orders us to love one another as He loves us first.

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uman as I am endowed with tiredness because of conficts arising in the mission and service as an ordained minister, I feel tired and this tiredness affects other aspects of my life. This is part of human reality. But what keeps me going is the conviction that Christ who has called me to serve in this dimension assures me with His words in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” This is the reason why retreats and recollections are necessary in my mission and life as I serve others. I need a quiet place to rest, recollect and regain strength so that I can serve faithfully. And in finding rest for my soul, I learn and re-learn to be more gentle and humble in heart even in facing conflicts as such.

While I believe that conflict may be inevitable, I am convinced to go back to the basic. Going back to the ontological goodness of life makes me feel that I am renewing and re-aligning my purpose of life, vision and my mission to serve with great love. I am called to serve the Church even the unchurched Church and in the society where we long for continuing justice, peace and integral development. Despite some unavoidable conflicts in life, I find joy in serving. Choose joy. It is in becoming myself as an instrument to serve that I find the source of my joy as well. Christ is our joy. Choose Christ to bring Him to others. And when we execute our vocation to serve, we serve selflessly, just as the Rotary Club emphatically says, “Service Above Self.”

It is in service above self that we truly open opportunities to let others serve as well.

Serve. Together let us take the time to make the community that we live in better place for us and for all the coming generations.

Be joyful in serving the community.

Be loving.

Be kind and forgiving.

Be a Rotary!

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RC Narvacan partakes Brigada Eskwela 2020

The Rotary Club of Narvacan, together with the Local Government of Ilocos Sur and Narvacan, participated the Brigada Eskwela 2020 in Narvacan National Central High School on August 19, 2020. Fumigation was done in order to improve the protection for the students against Dengue. This undertaking is in line with the effort to protect the health and safety of students and teachers alike; the same to be vital in creating a dynamic learning environment.

With this project, we are hopeful to come up with the needed enabling environment to the school for enhanced teaching and learning especially during the time of the pandemic.

“Pagpapanatili ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa Kabataan”

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Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 30 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

We've helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. So far, Rotary has contributed more than $1.8 billion toward eradicating the disease worldwide.

Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dej7rLoW4AErm32.jpg

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RC NARVACAN members conduct

HEALTH &

WELLNESS DAY

On August 1, 2020 the members of Rotary Club of Narvacan dedicated this day to inculcate the importance of health and wellness for all of us. This happened in Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. This activity aims to increase awareness on various health and wellness activities, and to motivate the public to build the required skills to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

After this, the members have acquired new approaches to conquer health concerns, enhance physical fitness, metntal wellness, and nutrition. A club meeting followed after the activity.

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RESPONSE:

Health Information and Disease Prevention Campaign

Focused on keeping people healthy, the RC of Narvacan launched an information campaign about the deadly Corona virus and how to prevent the same. This project aims to engage and empower individuals and communities to choose healthy behaviors, and make changes that reduce the risk of developing the deadly virus . These information drive were done in the barangays of Narvacan and Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur.

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VIRTUAL: THE NEW NORMAL

Adapting to the challenges of the New Normal, the members of the Rotary Club of Narvacan were able to connect to all Rotary Programs through the modern technologies that we have. This is also a manifestation that whatever challenge our society gives us, the spirit of servanthood still remains in Rotary. Hence, we continue to fulfill our duties and responsibilities as Rotarians.

RC NARVACAN PARTICIPATED TRISEM 2020

Members of RC Narvacan attended the TriSem 2020 of District 3790 and were able to revisit the general information about the Rotary Community Corps. They were also given insights about the need to increase membership and to adopt increasing flexibility and innovation. Further, they were able to learn how to become leaders as one of the benefits of becoming a Rotary member is training people to become effective leaders in their community. This activity was hosted by RC Laoag Metro Ilocos Norte.

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RC Narvacan President Gigi and Secretary Gilbert attended the Meeting on District Reporting and RCC Workshop with DG Jess Sama and the Rotary Online Team. This activity enhanced their knowledge on how to report the club’s activities, programs, and projects including the proper brandings and other learnings all found on the Rotary International website.

ROTARY CLUB CENTRAL WORKSHOP

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EDITORIAL BOARD

editor in chief Gilbert Cadacio contributors Ellen Cabatu Emil Ayson

Ram Rigunay

Reagan Louie Funtanilla

lay-out artist Ritchie Ramos

all rights reserved 2020