Philippines - HOM staff and volunteers meet for 2008's biggest volunteerism event

Paranaque City, Philippines - More than 50 Hands On Manila staff members and volunteers gathered at the Philippine Daily Inquirer headquarters in Makati City to discuss and organize the various member roles for the year's biggest volunteerism event.

Project manager, Dondon Medina, guided the participants along the fundamentals of Servathon and how each one could contribute to the 2008 Servathon.

This year's chairperson, Ms Gina Roxas, mirthfully announced that the NGO has reached its sponsorship target to run the event sucessfully.  Roxas said that more and more companies are becoming open to corporate volunteerism, placing the Philippines on the global service movement.

"Servathon is about concerned citizens and corporations running together for a cause," she said.  "In participating in this event, we take part in the global trend of service movement."

As of September 15, 23 companies from various industries have opted in to join the cause.

The Hands On Manila Servathon celebrates a full day of service with hundreds of volunteers who have contributed to the development of the community and provided assistance to marginalized sectors in Metro Manila.  It also stands as a fund raising event which substantially contributes to the running of HOM's year-round programs.

Servathon, a portmanteau of service and marathon, seeks to promote volunteerism on a large scale--combining individual willingness and corporate support to effectuate change in the community.

Last year, TV host Marc Nelson joined the charitable event, and he might join the 2008 event again, according to Ms Roxas.

"Marc Nelson may choose to do one of the service projects," she said.  "So, swertihan na lang yan."

The 2008 Servathon will be held at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia on October 11.