ILLONGA SCOUTS THRIVING AMIDST THE PANDEMIC

Written By: Sr. GS Angelica Mae Tabul & Sr. GS Leanna Grace Oro

Drawn by: Sr. GS Ely Alex Escantilla

Inside every Girl Scout, there’s a green fire that will continue burning despite whatever obstacle she may face in life. As the pandemic continues to lurk around, Girl Scouts all over the country remain set on participating as much as they can, despite the coronavirus. With their actions that not only inspire other girls but allow the Girl Scout way to thrive within their deeds, they have helped in the conservation of our Promise and Law. Registered or not, the Girl Scout way lives on.

No one expected that the pandemic would get out of hand. People thought that this whole lockdown would be over in a week. Everyone expected that everything would get back to normal. Now, here we are, one year into lockdown. The restrictions in place have affected everything around us. To our work, education, and even leisure. One of the things that have changed tremendously is the Girl Scout experience.

Even in times of crisis, The Iloilo Girl Scout Council saw the pandemic as an opportunity. With the Council Board and many of its motivated girls, they carried on with the Girl Scout way, just virtually. With 23,813 registered girls, the IGSC remains as the council with the most number of registered girl scouts in the whole region of Visayas.

This number is already high as it is, but unbelievable as it may be, the pandemic has decreased the membership count of said council. In 2019, the total of registered members was 102,415. This circumstance is due to: first, there are girls who live in areas where the internet is considered a “once in a blue moon” privilege, which makes it difficult to spread information to them. Second, some do not own electronics or have any social media accounts. Third, traveling during this time is challenging because of the strict implementation of health protocols which leaves people with no choice but to stay inside their houses rather than go out. The list goes on and on, but to summarize: it is plainly because of the pandemic.

Every girl has to face the realization that we live in a time of change. With this in mind, many have questioned if this decrease in membership, makes it still an exciting or worth-it experience to join the organization. There have been concerns and questions, mostly from family members asking, “Is it still worth it to join the GSP?”’ With events like the Kamping sa Balay, Eight-Point Challenge, and Girl Scouts Week that still give girls the same experience, just within the safety of their homes, most girls would respond with a big “YES”. This “yes” is backed by the effective results and outputs of the many online events and activities our girls join.

Jr. GS Yelah Blythe Estrada stated, “I have difficulty with online meetings. I barely attend the meetings due to internet problems.”

Sr. GS Iana Grace Montoya said, “I hate power outages! One time I was in a virtual event, I was really enjoying the discussion then all of a sudden, a blackout! It was really unexpected, and such a mood killer.”

Both these girls have experienced the transitional phase from face-to-face events, to virtual ones. Just like many other girls, they too have difficulty with online activities.

Even with these experiences and struggles, they described membership amidst the pandemic with two words, “Inspiring and Thriving”. Though there are difficulties and challenges, the determination and efforts of the Iloilo Council and its girls have made Girl Scouting stronger than ever. With its many online events, it still gives girls the same opportunities for self-improvement and societal service.