Last October 11 at the Capitol Convention Center, Pili, Camarines Sur, JCI Bataan was recognized as the Most Outstanding New Local Organization during the annual Temiong Awards of Junior Chamber International (JCI) Philippines (JCIP). The Temiong Awards are the highest honor awarded to local organisations of JCIP during the Philippines National Convention.
The journey has been a challenging and enlightening one and what is usually a one-year term of utmost leadership development to lead a chapter, mine has been close to two years. On January 2018, I joined JCI Makati and became a member as an invitation by then VP Kurt Soliman, my friend from my NBA Fantasy League “Basketball & Kicks Pare”. Unbeknownst to me, the President of JCI Makati at the time was none other than the Voice Master Pocholo “Choy” Deleon Gonzales of Mariveles, Bataan, the son of Luis Gonzales the former Municipal Administrator of Mariveles. Pres. Choy gave me the challenge along with my EVP BJ Banzon to charter JCI Bataan.
On 2 June 2018, after serious lobbying by Pres. Choy, JCI Bataan was formerly accepted in the JCI Philippines network and I attended the President’s Academy held in Lanao Del Norte on October 2018. At the academy, I learned more about this prestigious organization that grooms young active citizens ages 18-40 to become future leaders in our respective professions and aspirations. I learned more about JCI’s rich history having been founded in the USA on 1915 and was established in the country on 1947 and how our chapters diligently use parliamentary procedure in discussing plans and programs within its patented Active Citizen Framework to create positive impact as well as being a non-nation member of the United Nations to represent the youth of the world.
These learnings and the collaborations with fellow young active citizens in JCIP inspired me to pursue the growth of JCI Bataan. We are now at 26 members and have adopted the strategy “AIM to GROW: Activate Impactful Motivators to become Goal-Oriented, Realistic, Open, and Ways-Forward-Thinking”.
We held our ceremonial induction night on 16 March 2019 at the Emiliana Hall, Balanga City, Bataan and our guest speaker was the Honorable Joet Garcia, Representative of the 2nd District of Bataan as he shared his platform for the youth of Bataan.
Our induction would also be the last formal engagement I would share with my father, the late Secretary Abul Khayr Alonto,Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority, who returned to our creator a few weeks later on 9 May 2019. Fighting through the grief, I continued my journey in JCI as it became an outlet to continue to be inspired by my father who I deem my role model of a true young active citizen having founded the Moro National Liberation Front at a young age and becoming the youngest elected official in the country during his term as Vice-Mayor of Marawi City.
In the past year, we executed programs as our chapter worked with the more established organisations such as JCI Olongapo, JCI Makati, JCI Angeles City Culiat, JCI Quezon City Capitol, JCI Iligan, and other chapters most notably the group brought by 2019 National President PJ Estrellado when JCI Philippines responded to our call for assistance and he personally lead the distribution of relief goods to the fire victims of Barangay Capunitan, Orion, Bataan.
Pres. Choy’s vision of a JCI Chapter in Bataan is not only a reality but we have exceeded expectations and prove to be worthy of being recognized as JCIP’s Most Outstanding New Local Organization in the country as we continue to cultivate the JCI values in Bataan, and share 1Bataan to the entire country.
By Abul Khayr Alonto II, Chartering President of JCI Bataan
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