All set for Nat’l Jamboree in Tagum

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, October 21, 2015 - All roads will lead to Tagum City this week for the commencement of the 16th National Scout Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, which is considered as the largest scouting conclave in the country slated on October 24-30, 2015.

As of this writing, a total of 18,600 scouts have officially registered for the week-long activity that is jointly hosted by the
City Government of Tagum and the BSP Tagum City Council, but organizers expect the number to swell to 19,000 - a far cry from the
expected target of only 10,000.

With the large bulk of participants coming to the city, Mayor Allan L. Rellon, who also serves as the camp chief of the Jamboree, stressed
that preparations and contingency plans are on full swing, especially on maintaining peace and order.

Mayor Rellon said that 575 security personnel will be deployed in strategic areas and in Energy Park, the main venue of the Jamboree.
This consists of policemen from police stations in Davao del Norte, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Security Management
Officers of the local government and volunteer force multipliers. Tagum policemen, on the other hand, will be concentrating on their
respective stations.

Aside from Filipino Scouts from 118 local councils nationwide, 100 scouts from 10 countries will also participate as visiting
delegations, which include India, Nepal, Ghana, Singapore, Malaysia, among others.

Philippine Vice President and BSP National President Jejomar C. Binay is set to deliver the keynote address during the opening program on
October 24 at Energy Park, where he will also lead the unveiling of the scouting monument designed by renowned Mindanao sculptor Kublai
Milan.

The week-long National Jamboree which is anchored on the theme “Peace and Development through Scouting” will provide a progressive, safe and enjoyable learning environment for the Scouts in order to enhance their physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual potentials.

Participants are expected to undertake high-adventure activities, including community service projects related to the current thrusts of
World Scouting: Environment Education, Peace Education and Development Education through the Messengers of the Peace Initiatives, World Scout Environment Program and the Scouts of the World Award.

It can be recalled that the hosting rights for the National Jamboree was awarded to Tagum City last July as an offshoot of the daring bid
of the local government and the local BSP Council during the Annual National Council Meeting last May. (Louie Lapat/CIO Tagum)