ISANG BAYAN ISANG BAYANIHAN Bayani Challenge 2013 (old entry from Tumblr)

Bayani Challenge is a 5-day test of endurance, courage and love for country. It was held last March 23-27, 2013 in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental; Philippines! I saw new faces, learned a lot of insights, visited different places, did several activities and more. Our team was called Team YFC-GK 1MB Silay because 90% of the team (i’m included in the 90%) are members of an org called Youth For Christ that partners with Gawad Kalinga. Our mission is to END POVERTY in our country. I joined because I have 5 reasons.

1.  I want to be happy (I’m happy  of course, but I want to explore life. You know! ;D ahhah!),
2.  I want others to be happy,
3.  I want to end poverty in my country,
4.  I want to gain an experience that I will never forget, and
5.  I want to meet new friends.

I know that all of my reasons were fulfilled and I’m really happy that I’m sharing this chapter of my life to all of you! :’) Anyways, we rode a bus going to Cadiz. We were all wearing RED shirts because it’s our designated color for day 1. When we arrived in the terminal, some of us rode in the canter and some rode in the pick-up (I rode in the pick-up). We went to Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo National High School for the assembly, and all volunteers formed a human flag then we walked (parade) on the roads of the city (very tiring though). After the parade, we chilled in the resort (RC Beach Resort) , and ate lunch. 1:30 pm, we went back to Dr.VFG and lend our ears to the people who demonstrated us how to paint walls correctly. At night, we listened to sharers and we celebrated Earth Hour!!! :)) Day1 was a chill day. Not that exhausted, but a fun day for the team. Day 2 is a big one!

Us, ladies and man in red shirts dancing GK’s Unity Dance :))

Day2 is our first working day. All of us were wide awake at 5 am because of excitement and nervousness (actually, it’s our call time). We headed to Dr. VFG and rode a dump truck with others (the smell was not good, but we don’t have a choice:D). We are all wearing yellow shirts when we en route    to Tiglawigan Elementary School in Tiglawigan, Cadiz City. :) We painted it’s walls, classrooms and windows. It’s really overwhelming when you finish a work under the scorching sun with effort and sacrifices that you made to make this activity possible. :’)) (I don’t have a cap when I worked here. :| ) We sacrificed our time, our skin color, and more. We risked a lot so that we can make other people really happy in our own little way. My parents visited me to check me out if I’m really okay then they went back to Bacolod (where I really live).  We ate at the Health Center of Tiglawigan for lunch and at night, we listened to sharers that inspired me, and we partied. Harhar =)) At midnight, we talked about horror stories and love stories. I won’t really forget the story of Nicole G. that made me sleep tight. It’s a story that you can really tell that life is like a wheel. Bitter-sweet-bitter is the peg. Hehehehe. :>

and oh! Jessequel, Emily and I saw a comet (shooting star) and we made a wish!! =)))

 A relaxing view of RC Beach Resort in Cadiz City

Day3 is our second working day. We are all wearing pink shirts and we rode a dump truck going to Villacin Elementary School. Sam, one of the volunteers, had a chewing gum on her hair because Andrea (her bestie) put the gum on her that she chewed. We need to cut her hair so that the bubblegum will not be present on her hair anymore (eccck). This day I guess is the tiring day ever in the challenge because I painted 3 walls under the sun that generates my sweat glands to produce sweat. And I also painted some railings of the school that gave me stiff neck the next day. I was so surprised that when I flipped my shirt, I already have tan lines :o. At night, we listened to talks about sacrifices that GK leaders and volunteers made and we partied again! (they hired a dj hahaha) :D

                                       Team YFC-GK 1MB Silay in Pink shirts! :))



Day4 is our last working day. As usual, we rode a dump truck going to Yee-on Elementary School (the farthest school). We are all wearing our white shirt that says “ISANG BAYAN ISANG BAYANIHAN”. It’s really fun riding a dump truck especially when you can’t breathe because of overloading eheheeh. :)) When the brakes squeal, everybody shouts and moves like they’re going to fall. Aahah! :) It’s really an experience that I will never forget. I did sweep the leaves, painted slopes and painted some designs of the landscape of the school. We finished at 2pm and we went back to Dr. VFG for some activities. There, everybody splashed paint because we had a Mini Dinagsa!! (Dinagsa is a festival in Cadiz where  you use paint to splash it to anyone) The activity was really fuuun!! At night, we partied because GK hired 3 djs from Dugout Sports Bar!! :> So we danced, singed and laughed!! At midnight, 9 or 8 of us decided to sleep outside the pavilion because it’s our last night in Cadiz. (they allowed us :>) We slept at 2am already. :))

                                    A collage of pictures during Mini Dinagsa :D



Day5 is our last day. :( We didn’t work. We just chilled around the resort. We swam and shared about our experiences during the challenge. :’) Some of us slept and some of us goofed around hahah lol! Bayani Challenge won’t be possible without these people

In Dark Pink shirts are Happy and Dane, Light Blue shirts are Steph and Josh, In Green shirts are Harold and Gio, in Light Pink shirt is Louie, in Orange shirt is Roshka and in yellow shirt is Vhax. (actually, we ship six of them. TEAM DAPPY, JOSHEPH and GioRio!! Why Rio? Because that’s the family name of Harold ahaha lol!)


                                                         more pictures!!! :)

                 me with some friends from my batch and other incoming Gr.7 pupils :)

                                                    during the orientation :)

                                                      with Chlint and ate Steph :)

                                                         with the TEAM :)))

                                          @ the bus. (going home to BCD) :( :)

Kalinga Night :))

 JOSHEPH moment :))) @ the bus how sweeet. hahaha <3

with friends at the kiosk :>

~ I’m really happy that I survived in Cadiz for 5 days without my family, internet connection and more. It just proved that I can be Ms. Independent someday and it taught me that helping others is such a good thing to do when you have nothing to do :)) PROMISE!! :)) hahahaha! I will never forget this experience of my life. It’s a great start for year 2013 :)

a BIG smile from me. :)) It represents the happiness that I gained during the challenge.so, YOU SHOULD START HELPING YOUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. :)

This message is really inspring! read the message below! :) 

“And how come they are not dating in the mall with their boyfriends? Why are they sweating it out in the sun? Because Gawad Kalinga is Sexy. They can go to the beach later on, but instead of getting their tan from sunbathing, they are getting the tan doing good to others.”   -tito Tony Meloto, founder of Gawad Kalinga

SEE! BECAUSE GAWDA KALINGA IS SEXY ;)) ahahahh! :D

~pictures are from Tito George, Chlint, Jessequel, Patricia, Kaye and Dane :)