REVISED GUIDELINES ON THE SEARCH FOR OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS 2013
I.
PURPOSE
The Search for Outstanding Volunteers aims to highlight and recognize the exemplary performance and dedication to
service of Filipino volunteers in building strong communities across the country through volunteerism.
II.
COVERAGE
The Search is open to all individuals of Filipino citizenship and Filipino volunteer organizations or local chapter
organizations of foreign volunteer organizations that currently provide volunteer assistance in the Philippines.
III. TYPES OF AWARDS
A. National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA)
This is a recognition conferred on outstanding volunteer individuals and organizations that are chosen from among the
regional qualifiers. There are two categories under this award: (1) individual and (2) organization
1.
Individual - Youth and Adult
An individual is a person that engages in activity/ies undertaken not primarily for financial gain that involves
spending time on his/her own free will, doing activities that aims to benefit the community, the environment or
individuals outside one's immediate family.
The individual category is further classified into youth and adult.
Qualifications
2.

Must be fifteen (15) to thirty (30) years old (youth category) and at least thirty-one (31) years old (adult
category) at the time of submission of nomination;

Has been providing volunteer assistance consistently for at least three (3) years (youth category) and at
least five (5) years (adult category) in socioeconomic, civic and humanitarian programs or projects of
institutions or communities; and

Is a member of a volunteer organization or institution that is registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC); or registered by the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency
(PNVSCA) or duly recognized by an accrediting government institution; or is recognized as a volunteer by
communities, groups or institutions which he/she serves.
Organization – Not-for-Profit and Corporate
Volunteer Organizations are classified into (1) Non-Profit and (2) Corporate.
For purposes of the Search, a Non-Profit refers to any non-stock, non-governmental organization, including
schools and academic institutions and not affiliated with any company/corporation and one that engages the
services of volunteers in socio-economic and cultural development, humanitarian, civic activities, advocacy,
capability building and networking for volunteerism or is created specifically to recruit, train and deploy volunteers
for such purpose.
A corporate refers to companies that engage employee volunteering as an approach to achieve corporate social
responsibility; or to corporate-supported or affiliated foundations that engage volunteers to implement volunteer
program/s.
Qualifications
B.

Has been providing volunteer assistance consistently for at least five (5) years for Non-Profit; and at least
three (3) years for Corporate; and

Is formally organized, with SEC registration and/or duly registered by PNVSCA or granted accreditation by
government or non-government organizations duly recognized by government; or informally established but
is recognized as a volunteer organization by communities, groups or institutions it serves.
Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA)
This is a recognition conferred to (1) an individual volunteer of Filipino citizenship, or (2) to a Filipino volunteer
organization or a local chapter organization of a foreign volunteer organization serving in the Philippines.
Qualifications
 Has been engaged in consistent volunteering activities for at least twenty-five (25) years;
 Has attained national status and recognition in the field of volunteerism;
 Has been a recipient of national and international recognition/awards;
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 Plays a significant role/contribution in promoting volunteerism and possesses the capability to mobilize others
to support volunteer causes; and

Serves as a role model through a positive representation of volunteerism as a development resource.
IV. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
A. National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA)
1.
Regional Criteria
1.1. Individual Category – Adult and Youth
1.1.1. Volunteer Qualities - Commitment, Leadership, Teamwork and Adaptability. (25%)
1.1.2. Performance - Consistency, Initiative, Resourcefulness, Innovativeness and Awards and
Recognition. (40%)
1.1.3. Impact – Relevance to development priorities, Effectiveness and Replicability. (35%)
1.2. Organization Category – Not-for-Profit and Corporate
1.2.1. Qualities of the Organization – Policies on volunteerism, Functional volunteer management system,
Employee/members participation, and Linkages with other organizations. (25%)
1.2.2. Performance – Consistency, Initiative, Resourcefulness, Innovativeness, and Awards and
Recognition. (40%)
1.2.3. Impact - Relevance to development priorities, Effectiveness and Replicability. (35%)
2.
National Criteria
National awardees are chosen from among the regional qualifiers in accordance with the following criteria:
2.1 Relevance to national development priorities (volunteer assistance focuses on identified development
priorities such as, but not limited to, targets of the PDP 2011-2016 and the Millennium Development
Goals). (60%)
2.2 Effectiveness in advocating volunteerism
2.2.1 Promoted volunteerism through meetings, publications and other activities (20%)
2.2.2 Provided inspiration and served as role model in the field of volunteering (20%)
B.
V.
Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA)
1.
Performance - has consistently made contributions to addressing issues and problems of local or national
significance through voluntary engagements. (35%)
2.
Commitment - has been engaged in volunteering activities for at least twenty-five (25) years. (15%)
3.
Influence - plays a significant role/contribution in promoting the practice of volunteerism and possesses the
capability to mobilize others to support volunteer causes. (25%)
4.
Inspiration- serves as an icon or a role model of volunteerism, gives a positive representation of volunteerism as
a development resource. (25%)
NOMINATION/RECOMMENDATION
A. National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA)
1.
Who may nominate?
Any individual and heads of private sector organizations, beneficiaries and/or partner organizations, local
government units and national government agencies can nominate. Members or colleagues may nominate someone
within their organizations/LGUs with the nomination endorsed by the head of the organization.
2.
What is the nomination process?
Nomination forms may be obtained from the following agencies and at http://www.pnvsca.gov.ph.
 Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA)
 National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and their Regional Offices
 Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and their Regional Offices
 Department of Education (DepEd) and their Regional Offices
 Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and their Regional Offices
 Regional Planning and Development Office of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao
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The completed nomination form must be submitted to the Regional Search Committee that covers the area where
the volunteer or volunteer organization is based/ performing volunteer work.
B. Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA)
1.
Who may nominate?
Individuals and heads of private sector organizations, local government units and national government agencies can
recommend an individual or an organization whose qualifications meet the requirements of the award.
2.
What is the nomination process?
Any nomination must be done through a printed letter addressed to the Chairperson, SOV National Search
Committee (NSC) c/o PNVSCA, NEDA Complex, EDSA, Diliman, Quezon City. Nominations received by the SOVRSCs shall be forwarded to the Chairperson of the SOV-NSC.
VI. DEADLINE OF SUBMISSION
A. All Nominations must be received by the SOV Regional Search Committees not later than 23 August 2013. Mailed
nomination must be postmarked not later than said date. However, corporate nominations shall be submitted directly to
PNVSCA. The deadline of endorsement of regional qualifiers to the SOV National Search Committee shall be on 26
September 2013.
B. Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA)
Nominations received by the SOV Regional Search Committees must be forwarded to the SOV National Search
Committee on or before 26 September 2013 or if mailed, must be postmarked not later than said date.
VII. SELECTION AND CONFIRMATION OF AWARDEES
A. National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA)
The SOV Regional and National Search Committees shall evaluate and select regional qualifiers and national awardees,
respectively, using the Evaluation and Selection Guide.
The NVM Steering Committee shall review and confirm the recommendations of the National Search Committee.
B. Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA)
The National Search Committee shall deliberate on the recommendations, conduct further validation as may be
necessary and recommend awardees to the National Steering Committee.
The NVM Steering Committee shall review and confirm the recommendations of the National Search Committee.
VIII. INCENTIVES
A.
National qualifiers shall receive certificates of recognition. National awardees shall receive trophies while recipients of
VLAA shall receive medals and certificates of recognition.
B.
Awardees and recipients of VLAA based outside Metro Manila will be provided round-trip transportation and
accommodation for their attendance in the awarding ceremony.
IX. PROHIBITION AND EXCLUSIONARY PROVISION
A.
National awardees of previous years are no longer eligible to be nominated except to the VLAA, if they meet the
qualifications.
B.
Self-nomination is not allowed.
C. National qualifiers who did not qualify for national awards shall be renominated and compete with other nominees at
the regional level.
D. Members of the national and regional search committees are not eligible to nominate or be nominated.
X.
CONFERMENT OF AWARDS
Awards will be conferred in Manila on 12 December 2013.
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XI. SEARCH COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
National Volunteer Month (NVM) Steering Committee
A.
Composition
Chair
Co-Chairs
: National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Vice-Chair
: Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency
Members
B.
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2
3
4
: Civil Service Commission (CSC)
Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
Department of Education (DepEd)
Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
Filipino United Nations Volunteers Association (FUNVA)
Metrobank Foundation, Inc.
International Association for Volunteer Effort, Phils (IAVE-Phil), Inc.
Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
University of the Philippines (UP)
United States Peace Corps (USPC)
Functions
Plan activities for the NVM and Search for Outstanding Volunteers;
Promote the celebration of the National Volunteer Month and SOV.
Encourage submission of nominations for the Search, including nominations for the Special
Citations for Local Government Units and Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Awards; (same as promotion)
Review recommendations of the National Search Committee and confirm the awardees,
Regional Search Committees (RSCs)
A.
Composition
(NCR)
Chair
Members
: Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
:
:
:
:
:
Civil Service Commission (CSC)
Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
Department of Education (DepEd)
Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Private Sector Representative - Filipino United Nations
Volunteers Association (FUNVA)
(Other Regions)
Chair
: National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
Members
:
:
:
:
:
Civil Service Commission (CSC)
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Private Sector Representative/s
Assignment of others to complete 5-7 membership
(ARMM)
Chair
: Head of Regional Planning and Development Office (RPDO)
Members
:
:
:
:
:
Civil Service Commission (CSC)
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Private Sector Representative/s
Assignment of others to complete 5-7 membership
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B.
Functions
1.
Plan activities on how to advocate the NVM and SOV in the region;
2.
Encourage submission of nominations for the SOV;
3.
Conduct validation on the nominations, select the regional qualifier and endorse regional qualifier/s to the
National Search Committee;
4.
Only one (1) regional qualifier per category may be endorsed; and
5.
Conduct awarding ceremony to honor the regional awardees.
National Search Committee (NSC)
A.
Composition
Chair
: National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
Members
: Civil Service Commission (CSC)
: Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
: Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
: Private Sector Representatives
International Association for Volunteer Efforts –Philippines
Metrobank Foundation, Inc.
B.
Functions
1.
Review and evaluate the regional qualifiers submitted by the RSCs.
2.
Review and evaluate the nominees to the VLAA and special citation.
3.
Select and recommend the winners for national awards, VLAA and special citations and submit them to the NVMSC for confirmation.
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