Tagum hosts 2nd One Mindanao Scouts Jamboree

DAVAO DEL NORTE, August 7 (PIA) - - The City Government of Tagum, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte, hosted s the 2nd One Mindanao Scouts Jamboree at the Energy Park, Tagum City, which started yesterday (August 6).

More than 3,000 scouts from 23 scout councils in Mindanao participated in the 5-day scouts jamboree, which will run until August 10.

Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay, president of Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), said that the organization remained to be the number 1 youth group in the country in terms of the number of members.

Vice President Binay added that until today the boy scouts have been taking good care of the welfare of the youth for which this jamboree has been anchored.

Jesus Meris, regional scout director for Eastern Mindanao, said that camaraderie and advancement of the boy scouts were the main focus of the jamboree.

Director Meris said that several activities like historian challenge, fancy drill, challenge valley, global development village and water challenge will highlight this year’s jamboree.

Wendel Avisado, senior vice president and acting secretary general of the BSP, said that more than the solidarity and survival challenges, the jamboree emphasized on the preservation and protection of the environment.

Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario affirmed that this year’s jamboree shed light in the direction of the scouting movement in Mindanao, which is towards safeguarding our environment.

“Our island is known to be as the nation’s food basket but with the realization that it is hampered with various factors, including the continued deterioration of the environment which heightened the impact of climate change,” Governor Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario challenged the boy scouts to be instruments for sustainable environment because he added, “Sustainable development is possible only with a sustainable environment”.

Also present during the opening of the jamboree were Compostela Valley Gov. Arturo Uy, Asia Pacific Regional Scout Director Jay Rizal Pangilinan, BSP Vice Pres. for Mindanao Leo Lasacar, East Mindanao Regional Chairman Mayor Franco Calida, West Mindanao Regional Chairman Sultan Ansary Maongco and Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon. (PIA 11, Michael L. Uy)