The latest linkage that EPCALM has established is with the Far Eastern University (FEU) National Service Training Program (NSTP). The National Service Training Program, is also known as “An Act Establishing the National Service Training Program (NSTP) for Tertiary Level Students. The National Service Training Program is composed of three different components:
Civic Welfare Training Service is geared towards activities that have social impact through activities that could contribute to “health, education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation and morals of the citizenry”.
Literacy Training Service has a more limited yet equally useful objective that is to “train students to become teachers of literacy and numeracy skills to school children, out of school youth, and other segments of society in need of their service”.
Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, while deemed equally important by the NSTP law (it maintained its existence and nature mentioned in RA 7077) having the primary objective to prepare the youth in national defense.
With such linkage, a total of 350+ FEU students trooped to the EPCALM office at various times. During their visits, the students where given briefings on Leukemia and about EPCALM. After the awareness, the students were then asked to make Leukemia awareness and information materials such as posters, streamers, bookmarks, etc. One group of students went to the extent of producing a Leukemia/ EPCALM Awareness video.
Click the image below to view the video in Youtube:
Furthermore, students were asked to look for blood donor volunteers, whose commitment will form the first few who will be listed in the EPCALM blood databank. A total of 1,500+ volunteers have already signed up as prospective blood donors, should our Leukemia patients have any need for blood products in the future.
For a couple of these FEU students, their visit to the EPCALM office was just to comply with the NSTP requirements. For some, their visit opened up their awareness to the plight of Leukemia patients. For a few, their visit signified the start of volunteerism and service for their underprivileged fellowmen.
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