USJ-R SOLACE wins country’s accomplished youth group
THE USJ-R School Of Law Advocacy and Community Enrichment (SOLACE) was awarded as one of the 10 accomplished youth organizations in the Philippines in a ceremony at the Heroes Hall, Malacañang Palace last Jan. 21.
The award was received by Hope Cesely H. Baquero, the group president.
Palace Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma Jr. delivered the speech of President Benigno Aquino III. Senator Bam Aquino also delivered his speech for the youth during the ceremony hosted by Commissioner Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Dantes of the National Youth Commission.
The search for the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) is organized annually by the TAYO Awards Foundation Inc., in partnership with Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and co-organized by the National Youth Commission and the Office of Senator Aquino.
It aims to recognize, reward and encourage youth organizations all over the country with programs and projects that help their communities and to inspire more young people to find innovative solutions, to challenge the status quo and to make a difference in the lives of the people and in the cause they choose to espouse.
The organizations’ projects were judged based on the following criteria: impact of the project, harnessing the spirit of volunteerism and citizenship, creativity and innovation, sustainability, and effective use of resources.
Out of the 362 Filipino youth organizations that have joined this year’s search, the USJ-R SOLACE and project entry, Case Follow-up for Jail Decongestion and Inmates Paralegal Training Program, for the culture and the arts, peace and human development category, is one of the 10 winners for 2016.
The project is an initiative to help decongest and protect the rights of detainees to fair and speedy trial in Mandaue City Jail.
There are two parts of the project: the first part, SOLACE conducts jail visit, interview inmates and follow-up cases with the court where their cases are pending; and the second part is the inmates’ paralegal training where the group conducts a series of lectures on the rights of the accused and other laws pertinent to the inmates’ cases. They train the inmates paralegal aides, who will also serve as paralegals to their co-inmates.
SOLACE is also the first organization to translate the Rules on Criminal Procedures of the Rules of Court from English to Cebuano.
The project is a continuing one that started last April 2015, in partnership with the Humanitarian Legal Assistance Foundation.
The USJ-R SOLACE is an organization composed of law students of the University of San Jose-Recoletos, with Atty. Elaine T. Bathan as their adviser, who is also the assistant dean of USJ-R School of Law.
The group also received the San Miguel Corp. Better World special award; P50,000 from TAYO Awards Foundation Inc. and Office of Senator Aquino; P20,000 from San Miguel Corp.; and TAYO trophy sculpted by Toym de Leon Imao.
The TAYO 13 winners joining the roster of exemplary youth organizations were USJ-R SOLACE, Cebu City; I Am M.A.D. Inc., Mandaluyong City; Tanay Mountaineers, Rizal; Kanlaon Theater Guild, Bacolod City; Environment and Climate Change Research Institute, DLSU, Malabon City; Keep Hope Alive, Oriental Mindoro; Youth Sports Advocacy, Quezon City; Bayugan National Comprehensive High School-Yecs, Agusan del Sur; Tobog Youth Organization, Albay; UP Alchemes, Quezon City.
The TAYO 13 national finalists were Pinoy Malikhain, Propelling Our Inherited Nation Through Our Youth Inc.; University of San Carlos Chemical Engineering Society; UP Chemical Engineering Society Inc.; TUP Instrumentation and Control Students’ Society; Youth Working for Change; Rebirth Outdoor Trekkers and Adventurers Philippines Inc.; Philippine Junior Jaycees Inc.-Tacloban Sinirangan; UP Circle of Industrial Engineering Majors.