Civic Welfare Volunteers Group set for launch in Palawan

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, January 03 (PIA) --- The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) will launch in Palawan the pilot program of its National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC), a group of volunteers whose members may be tapped for civic welfare activities especially in times of calamities and disasters.

NSRC Chief Brig. Gen. Juanito W. Dalmas visited the city recently to organize the civic welfare groups in the communities and a university chosen for the pilot launch.

In Palawan, the Palawan State University (PSU) was selected by the OCD as the first school-based NSRC group outside the National Capital Region (NCR) while the municipality of Narra was chosen as the first rural community-based group. Puerto Princesa City is the first urban community-based group.

The NSRC groups in these communities have been organized to serve proactive teams in disaster response, disaster risk reduction and environmental protection.

Under Section 11 of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2011, the creation of a National Service Reserve Corps was mandated to be composed of graduates of the non-Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), which is a component of the NSTP.

NSTP is a program that aims to enhance civic consciousness and defense preparedness for the youth by developing their ethics of service and patriotism while undergoing training in any of its components - ROTC, Literacy Service Training and Civic Welfare Training Service - which are designed to enhance their active contribution for the general welfare of the community. (LBR/Maj. Bogaoan-6CRG/OCJ-PIA4BPalawan)