Scouting Orientation Course. In his capacity as regional chairman of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. (seated, left) conveys his instructions in strengthening the scouting program in the province to some scout commissioners and Department of Education’s officials during the Scouting Orientation Course at the Pangasinan Skills and Sports Development Center at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen last September 14. Also in photo are (seated from right): Pangasinan I Division Supervisor Bernardo de Guzman, DepEd Pangasinan I Schools Division Supt. Ruby C. Torio, Council Scout Executive Vivencio Vinluan and Exec. Asst IV and Scout Regional Commissioner for Public Relations Ramon Morden. (PIO Photo by Jun Moran)
Some 600 scout commissioners and institutional heads all over the province started their scouting orientation course last September 10 that will last until September 14 at the Pangasinan Skills and Sports Development Center at the Narciso Ramos Sports complex here.
As the regional chairman of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. initiated the project involving district supervisors and principals of elementary schools, central schools, integrated schools, secondary schools and private schools.
Regional Scout Director Imelda Samson said the orientation course aims to increase awareness among the schools on the importance of scouting, provide information to the participants of their roles as school heads in furthering the scouting advocacies among students to get their full support in enhancing membership to the scouting movement.
Samson said the governor has really instilled in his heart and lives by the ideals of scouting as she recalls that Gov. Espino always proudly said “I am a product of scouting.”
As this developed, Gov. Espino said that he wants every Pangasinense to absorb the values that scouting imparts to our youth.
Reiterating the notes of Schools Division Superintendent Alma Ruby Torio and Assistant Shiela Marie Primicias, Gov. Espino said Scouting is a “way of life” and that the greatest challenge of a Scouter is to train young people to keep scouting their way of life and make them become good citizens and responsible leaders in the future.
The Governor lamented the removal of scouting in the school curriculum, and expressed hope that scouting be made a regular part of the curriculum again.
Gov. Espino also urged his fellow scouters to continue the ideals of scouting and should not forget the values that they learned from it so that they can also teach this to the next generation.
As the governor quoted what Assistant Superintendent Primicias said, the BSP sees its mission as one of education in character-building and nation-building. It aims to develop the personality of young people spiritually, morally, physically and intellectually to make them responsible citizens of their local community.
Meanwhile, BSP Public Relations Officer Ramon Morden said the scouting movement contributes greatly in molding the youth as effective leaders and good citizens of the future. (PIO/Angeline D. Villanueva)