Oplan ONSE is a charity advocacy program aimed at helping indigent families in Jovellar, Albay

Alumni from the Jovellar National High School (JNHS) Class of 2011 have banded together to create Oplan ONSE, a charity advocacy program aimed at helping indigent families in Jovellar, Albay affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Oplan ONSE, which stands for Our New Steps for Everyone, is raising funds to purchase various food items and soap, which will then be donated to 100 vulnerable families in selected Jovellar barangays.

“Based on the needs assessment we did, the recommended barangays are San Vicente, Lilibdon, and San Roque,” said Oplan ONSE Assistant Head Aileen Joya-Elaurza.

Oplan ONSE consists of 5 phases:

• Phase 1 — the Donation & Fund Raising Drive, runs until April 30, 2020. During this phase, Oplan ONSE is accepting cash donations via bank transfer. Details are available on the Oplan ONSE Facebook page.
• Phase 2 — (May 1 to 5) is the Procurement of Goods.
• Phase 3 (May 6 to 13) is the Packaging of Goods.
• Phase 4 (May 14 onwards) is the Distribution of Goods and Activity Proper.
• Phase 5, the Post-Activity Report, will be done after the delivery of all the repacked goods.

Promoting love and compassion

Oplan ONSE’s members are contributing to the cause in various ways.

For instance, Cariza Mae Mojar has volunteered to help in the repacking and distribution of the relief goods. She has also provided monetary aid and is using social media to promote the advocacy by sharing Oplan ONSE’s Facebook posts.

While Aireen Bagagñan is thousands of miles away from home, she’s reaching out to her connections and using social media “as a medium to spread awareness about our cause” and to explain to donors “what it means to all of us to finally give back to the community in which all of our batchmates grew up.”

According to the Class of 2011 alumni, JNHS taught them the value of love and compassion.

“As an alumnus of JNHS, I am, of course, proud because this was where I was taught and shaped by our teachers,” said Albert Nuarin, who is now a member of the Philippine Navy. “[I’m] happy to be able to help even in a simple way, and one of these ways is through Oplan ONSE… Even though I’m far [from home], I can still help my fellow citizens in Jovellar, Albay.”

Julie Tolosa hopes Oplan ONSE will “promote general welfare” and “strengthen people to stay positive.”

“The help this program will be able to provide is comparable to only a small part or percentage of what our government is doing, but if all of us help, we can provide significant assistance to our fellow citizens,” said Lourdes Nocillo. “Like the saying says, it’s better to give than to receive.”

As of April 20, 2020, Oplan ONSE has already raised PHP 32,075.

Oplan ONSE is helmed by science teacher, environmentalist, and project leader John Bren M. Dolor, who is also currently in charge of Project DOLOR, a family-run effort that uses donated materials to create personal protective equipment for frontliners in the Bicol Region. — LA, GMA News

Oplan ONSE Facebook