Thomasian scouts to join 24th World Scout Jamboree in USA

San Carlos City, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL–Thomasian scouts represent San Carlos City to the 24th World Scout Jamboree in Bechtel Park, West Virgina, USA on July 22 to August 2, 2019. 

Senior Scout Roger Jaisen A. Belga, a Grade 12, STEM student of Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos, San Carlos City and Scout Hayden Lloyd Villaluz, a Grade 10 student of the same school are among the 10 scouts from Negros Occidental Council who will join the prestigious scouting event.

Both Belga and Villaluz are products of the CST-R Boy Scout Chapter. Rev. Fr. Vicente Ramon, Jr., OAR has established the Thomasian scouting movement during his first turn as school director in 2010. The program now includes Rover Scouts from the Senior High School Department. 

Villaluz, whose first jamboree experience was the Recoletos Jamboree in 2017, is a proud bearer of nine Outdoors Man Badges. Belga has 13 badges and has been to several regional jamborees in the Visayas. Both scouts applied to the Boy Scout of the Philippines National Office in Manila for the opportunity to be among the representatives of the Negros Occidectal Council. 

During the official send-off ceremony last July 10, at the CST-R Quadrangle, Rev. Fr. Ramon, the current CST-R Treasurer and Scout Coordinator, with Rev. Fr. Joel A. Alve, OAR, CST-R Director and Principal, blessed the two scouts as they will journey half way across the world to raise the banner of the Recollect scouts.

Proudly, Rev. Fr. Ramon also mentioned in his brief speech that the scouts’ participation in the World Scout Jamboree is just the beginning of “CST-R [going] international.” He further promised that other international programs await “all [Thomasians]” not just the scouts.   

Belga and Villaluz will be joined by six adult leaders from the provincial council. They are the only representatives of San Carlos City. 

Story & Photos by Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga