Pontevedra bikers group shares blessings to indigents

By Niño Manaog

University Extension Associate

Capiz State University (CapSU)

“A time of giving, a time of sharing.”

With some 40 members, CBAI makes the community feel the spirit
of sharing to the least of the community members.

This is what the members of the Caguyuman Bikers Association, Inc. (CBAI) had in mind when they launched “Give Love on Christmas Day! (A Gift Giving Program to Indigents)” on December 20, 2011 in the barangays of Pontevedra and Panit-an, Capiz.

CBAI is a group of bikers organized a few years ago with some 42 active members based in Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz and neighboring towns of Capiz. Mr. Val Dangan, CBAI president, said that they want to share the blessings to the indigents to make them feel the spirit of giving even before the approach of the Christmas season.

Under the leadership of Dangan, the bikers group organized the activity through solicitation of funds from public officials and coordination with the local officials of the barangays of the recipients. They requested financial assistance from Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr.; Vice-Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras; and Remia Fuentes-Bartolome, Eduardo Magallanes, Roberto Ignacio, Jonathan Besa and  Zoe Maria Felipe Herrera, all Board Members of Capiz. They also sourced out from Mayor Esteban Jose Contreras and Vice-Mayor Nelson Oquendo, Jr. of Pontevedra and Vice-Mayor Generoso Derramas, Sr. of Panitan, all of the province of Capiz.

Val Dangan briefs the barangay folks
on the sources and motivations of their community service.

CBAI used the solicited funds to buy and package rice, canned goods and noodles and used clothing, which were all provided for the least fortunate of the said communities.

On the Gift-Giving Day, CBAI members rode their bikes and went around the town to share the blessings to 8 barangays in Pontevedra and one in Panitan, Capiz, benefiting some 280 families in all.

Supported by the local barangay officials, some 25 CBAI members and officers gave out the assistance to some 19 families in barangay Hipona, 20 families in Malag-it, 20 families in Solo, 15 families in Sublangon, 10 families in Guba, and 142 families in Bailan, all of Pontevedra, Capiz. They also distributed to 10 patients confined at the Bailan District Hospital in the same town and to 10 families in Enseñagan, 18 families in Agloway and 15 families in Cogon, all of Panitan, Capiz.

CBAI’s activity was well received by the members of the recipient community. Mr. Eliseo Dorado, barangay captain of Agloway, said that they made sure that the certified indigents were identified and given due assistance. Dorado said that the four sitios in his barangay were represented. For Dorado, CBAI’s initiative to help the indigent members of the community is more than enough to make them feel the spirit of Christmas.

Harold Cris Trinidad, CBAI vice-president, said that the activity held in its second year is better planned. They were satisfied because the goods were more than sufficient to their target number of recipients. Unlike the previous year, they were also able to reach out to a bigger number of recipients.

In all, Dangan considered the activity successful because of the good coordination efforts of the group with the barangay officials. Dangan also said that they will have to reach out to the identified beneficiaries.

For Dangan and his group, such activity is usual for their group because what they value most is service to the community. Despite the success of these service efforts, Dangan a vowed to organize better the same activity for next year. Dangan works as personal assistant for Dr. Editha Magallanes, president of the Capiz State University.

Organized a few years ago, Caguyuman Bikers Association, Inc. (CBAI)
is not just a leisure group. It also renders community service.