Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Boy Scout Character, Leadership Development

Dr. Victorina S. Laroza, Schools Division Superintendent of Aklan has encouraged more support to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Aklan Council.
In her Division Memorandum No. 54, Series of 2007, she urged all district supervisors, school heads of elementary and secondary public and private schools to support actively the 2007 Boy Scouts Membership and Fund Campaign Drive to ensure the continued youth development program through scouting and to enjoy the privileges and benefits for every scout member.
In pursuance to DepEd Memorandum No. 106, Series of 2006, contribution to the Boy Scouts is one of the authorized voluntary contributions which the schools can collect. The contribution of P10 for Auxiliary Sustaining Membership is for the scouting operations of the school and the council, while the P40 per year is for membership in the BSP.
This 40 membership paid will entitle the boy member to an insurance which covers scouting related cause accidental death, murder and assault, natural death, medical reimbursement for all types of accidents.
According to Dr. Laroza, scouting is one of the DepEd thrusts which provides all opportunities to all registered boy scouts to participate in activities and training courses geared towards character building, citizenship training, values development and skills for self reliance.
Dr. Laroza in her Division Memorandum No. 54 dated June 5, 2007 strongly urged every school, district and secondary institutions to organize active and functional scouting units with the strong supports of parents in the respective schools.
As part of the visibility program of scouting, she urged all registered scouts to wear their scout uniform during Fridays, do good turns by participating in projects of the school and local government.
Moreover, Dr. Laroza challenged the school heads and teachers to include for discussions scouting matters during PTCA meetings. She suggested to discuss with parents matters like the "importance of scouting in the life of a boy".
Indeed Dr. Victorina Laroza has touched a very important extra curricular activities that if given importance and rightly implemented in schools will create a great difference in the behavior of each boy. It will also enhance their class ranks as extra-curricular activities are given 30 percent weight in ranking.
A man who engaged in boy scouting and has internalized the teachings, principles of a scout in his adult age must be a great leader in any endeavor. He can be a great leader in politics, business and the profession. For indeed, a boy scout is always prepared. He does good turns in any place and time. He is honest, loyal, thrifty, friendly and reverend. Search for a boy scout and one will find in him almost all desirable virtues. If he has none of these virtues and does not practice it, then he is a fake boy scout.
If only our government officials and employees possessed the virtues of a true boy scout and apply it in their daily activities, graft and corruption will be a thing of the past.
My dear school heads and teachers, please listen and comply with the Division Memorandum No. 54 of Dr. Laroza, your Schools Division Superintendent in Aklan. Cajole your students to join the boy scouts movement and their parents to support their sons for excellent leadership, good character and citizenship building.
A school, a few weeks after enrollment may organize a boy scout. Those who join it may pay the required membership in order to be entitled to insurance benefits and participate in training courses designed for excellent leadership and character building.
More on Boy Scouting. Atty. Victoriano B. Tirol, Jr., DepEd Regional Director and Regional Scout Committee chair of BSP has invited all local council chair, council scout commissioners, council scout executives and city/provincial schools division superintendents of the Western Visayas Region to attend the WVR Regional Scouting committee meeting. This meeting will be held in San Jose, Antique on Wednesday, June 27, 2007. Regional scouting operations covering membership, advancement, training activities and administrative matters will be taken up in this one day meeting. Every local BSP Council will submit comprehensive report on its operations with special emphasis on membership recruitment.
Let us fully support the Boy Scout. Enroll your son with the Boys Scout. /MP