By Flordeliza Castro Ampatuan, District 3820 Community Service Chair and Assistant Regional Public Image Coordinator for Zone 10B, Philippines
To help slow the spread of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Metro Manila area and Luzon archipelago, the Philippine government enforced a community quarantine on 16 March, 2020.
The exact numbers of healthcare workers, particularly doctors and nurses who have lost their lives while fulfilling their professional duties is still increasing in the Philippines. Exact data may not be accurate, but the fact remains that it may be higher than reported.
There are plenty of contributing factors to this, including patients not telling anyone about their recent travels in places where COVID-19 cases have been reported, exposure to people with the virus and vulnerability associated with existing medical conditions.
Furthermore, the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a global problem that we are facing here as well, and has added to the risks frontline workers face.
The Executive Committee of District 3820, spearheaded by our current District Governor Everett Olivan, decided to utilize the district’s entire calamity (disaster response) fund of $37,000 USD. Each member has contributed $3 USD every year for natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes but due to the urgency of the current situation, the funds were approved to support our community during this time.
With this money, we secured PPEs such as N95 masks, face shields and coverall suits. We coordinated with the Philippine Air Force to seek help in distributing these essential items to hospitals. The direct participation of our district members has never been encouraged to ensure everyone’s safety, but countless members are passionate about being physically engaged in order to ensure frontline workers receive the protection they need.
I am a nurse by profession and work as a hospital care trainer. My spouse is an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse and we discussed the importance of one of us staying home to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and to able to take care of our three-year-old child. Needless to say, I feel that if I can’t be a frontline worker, then, I still want to be valuable to the community by serving as a catalyst to provide PPEs to our healthcare workers. In this little way, I am truly grateful and proud to be a Rotary member and a person of action.
I am truly humbled by the heroism of healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of this battle. Likewise, during this time, we have an opportunity as Rotary members to partner with our communities to lend a helping hand. As Rotary members, working hand in hand, together we will defeat COVID-19.
Service in Action 
Congratulations Lzl!! Great article. Thank you for serving your kababayan. Keep serving others through Rotary values.
Congratulations ARPIC/PP lzl Ampatuan. Im very very proud of you giving your time and effort doing good in our community and enhancing public image of Rotary . Keep it up . God Bless.
Thank you my dear friend PDG Bill BIddle.
Congrats PP Lzl, a job well done always. Keep it up!
Congratulations my beloved sister ! I’m so proud of you.
We love you
truly a lady with grateful heart…
keep rotary in action…
stay safe & well at all time…
As Rotary closely monitors the pandemic of Covid-19, the illness caused by the novel corona virus, and continuously assessing the potential impact on Rotary operations, events, and members, early on last March, RI District 3820 lead by its Governor Everett Olivan of RC Naga, wasted no time by instituting a concerted district wide effort of allocating its district disaster fund for the purchase of:
1,000 sets of PPEs coverall
5,000 sets KN95 Face Mask
20,000+ of face shields
Hygiene kits and Food assistance
and distributing the same down to its grass root Rotary Clubs for dissemination to various hospitals and health centers in Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, and Bicol region.
Consecutively various Rotary Clubs braved the consequence of the virus and served its community by acting as frontline medical and peace volunteers.
This video is a testament of how Rotary Clubs work in the face of Covid-19 challenge.
Thank you ARPIC Lzl Manalo Castro-Ampatuan for your inspiring story. And thank you D3820 Rotarians for your selfless dedication and for having a passionate and hard-working governor who indeed did not let this crisis go to waste.
Salamat po sa pagbibigay halaga sa salitang “Rotarian”. Ang akin pong malugod na pagpupugay sa inyong lahat! 🍭
-from PP MON Dacayo FB POSTING
Proud to be a Rotarian,
Proud to be a Rotarian of D3820.
From PDG Pepe Estevez fb posting
What a heartwarming video. Rotarians from D3820 in the midst of covid 19 pandemic have opened their pockets and have been risking their lives to support the frontliners. D3820 as ONE in ACTION and SERVICE dignifies Rotary’s motto “ Service Above Self”. To the eyes and hearts of our medical frontliners and communities we serve, Rotarians are also heroes. Thank you to our District leadership team led by our hardworking Champion District Governor Everett Olivan and Lady Maryselle especially to our untiring Community Service Chair Lzl Ampatuan. To the Champion club leaders and members, the communities are blessed for having Rotarians like you. I am proud to be a Rotarian of D3820!
What a heartwarming video. Rotarians from D3820 in the midst of covid 19 pandemic have opened their pockets and have been risking their lives to support the frontliners. D3820 as ONE in ACTION and SERVICE dignifies Rotary’s motto “ Service Above Self”. To the eyes and hearts of our medical frontliners and communities we serve, Rotarians are also heroes. Thank you to our District leadership team led by our hardworking Champion District Governor Everett Olivan and Lady Maryselle especially to our untiring Community Service Chair Lzl Ampatuan. To the Champion club leaders and members, the communities are blessed for having Rotarians like you. I am proud to be a Rotarian of D3820!
Congratulations PP Lzl Ampatuan for leading this project you are truly an example of CHAMPION ROTARIAN. Also warm congratulations to all Rotarians of District 3820 and Let us fight COVID -19. Together we will HEAL AS ONE.
The video is the best example of service above self.
In these trying and challenging time of pandemic, Rotarians from D3820 were visible and actively involved to benefit the community.
Highly commendation to all Rotarians, the team, especially the esteemed Champion DG Everett Everett Olivan and Lady Maryselle, equally esteemed Community Service Chair Lzl Ampatuan,and the energetic the Champion club leaders and members, the communities are blessed for having Rotarians like you.
The video is an example of best practices on service above self.
Congratulations to the esteemed Champion Gov. Everett Olivan and Lady Maryselle, the equally esteemed Community Service Chair Lzl Ampatuan, and To the Champion club leaders and members, the communities are blessed for having Rotarians like you.
God bless you a thousand folds.
Congratulations…We are so Proud of You Our Dear PP Lzl Castro Ampatauan.. Truly ” Greater Service in Rotary, Victory of Humanity “. Godspeed..
This selfless initiative done by the District (3820) is what the Rotarians are best at doing. Humanitarian service is our masterpiece. All Rotarians are all in this together, fighting the unseen but the projects such as this is very visible.
I would like to commend PP Flordeliza Castro Ampatuan, District 3820 Community Service Chair in leading the way for this timely and relevant project in combating COVID-19. Seeing Rotarians rendering service to the community in spite of the danger waiting outside is very remarkable. To Champion District Governor Everette U. Olivan and Lady Maryselle Olivan I salute you for the support to make this project a reality.
Not all heroes are wearing cape some have wheels on their shirts. Congratulations to District 3820. I am a proud Rotarian here.
Such a heartwarming article. 💙
Congratulations Rotary and Ate Lzl for being able to touch the lives of our countrymen especially our frontliners.
I, together with our family, are so proud of your advocacy Ate Lzl. You could just stay at home with Iza but you opted to extend your helping hands to people in need. I admire you for that. Take care! Keep it up and Kudos to Rotary!
Thanks to you all! God bless!
Thank you for your article & video showing the quick response of our District 3820 in protecting our front-liners. Thank you Gov. Evette & Lady Maryselle for your quick response during this Pandemic & the coordinated distribution of the donation in our large district. Thank you fellow Rotarians for your annual contributions to the District Calamity Fund which made possible this much timely & needed protection gears for our frontliners who serve during this Pandemic. Thank you to all the Rotarians & partners in service who bravely distributed the donation. Truly all of you showed that Rotary is Service above self! You make me proud as Rotarian of RID 3820! God bless. Ingat kayo.
Kudos to District 3820 and all our Rotarians for the collective effort to ensure the safety of our frontline workers, most specially, the Medical frontliners. I would like also to commend PP Lzl, firstly, for working in tandem with DG Everett Olivan and Lady Maryselle Olivan in the execution of this plan, secondly, for connecting with Rotarians of the four areas of our District in the smooth implementation of the District Plan, and lastly, for bravely facing the challenge without fear or hesitation of getting contaminated by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. I am sure there are many like you, my BFF Lzl, during this critical time, but your efforts stand out because you make everybody happily connected and satisfied, with your warm and infectious smile!! You did inspire and continue to inspire so many of us and this video will solidly cement the belief that Rotarians connect with the rest of the world in selfless service. My two thumbs up for District 3820 Community Service Chair, Flordeliza “Lzl”Castro Ampatuan.
Hi PP Lzl! RC Alabat Island is pne of the recipients of this project. On behalf of the frontliners of the Alabat Island District Hospital and the municipalities of Alabat, Quezon and Perez, thank you for providing us with the means to keep them safe while they are on duty.
Thank you CP ALICE and thanks to all the Rotarians in in our District and to our hardworking Gov. Everett Olivan
With the collaborative effort of each and everyone we could see the silver lining in every situation that life throws us in this time of pandemic. And one must lead on this battle to fight this invisible virus. Thank you PP Lzl, DG Everett and the rest of the team for exemplifying and embodying the Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self”. Truly your an inspiration to many, you always mesmerized us with your charm and smile that glows from within! Looking forward to work with you again, soon! Sending my warmest congratulations and virtual hugs to everyone!
it is always a great achievement of this civic organization to serve in any way, anytime public service is needed. in this time of pandemic, they are the frontliners helping the health frontliners. thank you for initiating this most needed help.
more power to you gov evett and pp lzl.
Congratulations to PP Lzl Ampatuan for a very informative article on how Rotarians in Rotary District 3820 take the lead in supporting the frontline health workers who are fighting the COVID-19 in Southern Luzon, Philippines. Once again RD 3820 stepped up to the challenge presented by this pandemic that has already claimed a horrific number of lives all around the world. Thank you RD 3820 for all you do in saving lives and serving humanity!
Big congratulations to my dear sister in service ARPIC/PP Lzl Ampatuan for leading our district in Community Service being the District Chair with the guidance of our very generous Champion Gov Everett Olivan and Lady Maryselle Olivan, may your tribe increase in aleays connecting to our humanities, Proud rotarian here from D-3820 from CP Rey Anonuevo RC Santa Rosa South, Congratulations
Great work District 3820 and Rotarians exemplifying service above self! Stay safe. Salute to our health workers and frontliners.
I join you in saluting the Frontliners. They risk their lives daily. Congratulations to Rotarians there who are engaged in Service to help the Frontline workers. Mabuhay!!