ILAGAN CITY, Isabela, March 25 (PIA) — Thousands of volunteers from Isabela and Cagayan joined the 2013 five-day Bayani Challenge, a volunteerism activity initiated by the provincial government in coordination with the Pilipinas Natin movement and Gawad Kalinga.

In an opening program held at the Isabela Sports complex, Governor Faustino G. Dy III welcomed the delegates from the different sectors of Isabela and Cagayan who converged and joined the first day of the volunteerism activity.

Dy said he is inspired and impressed seeing the volunteers who showed up and offered themselves to build houses for homeless Isabelinos, conduct clean up drives, donate blood, conduct story telling to children, and other activities that will benefit Isabelinos.

The 2013 Bayani Challenge is centered on five major activities to include paraisong pambata, environment, health, brigada eskuwela, and house building.

Vic Buenaventura, Pilipinas Natin north luzon coordinator, in an interview said Bayani Challenge is a nationwide simultaneously activity conducted in 33 provinces in the country where volunteers are joining the five-day volunteer activities.

Buenaventura expects that the drive of the volunteers will remain in their hearts and will be used and transferred in the next generations.

The 2013 Bayani Challenge in Isabela were also joined by government agencies in the province and majority of the volunteers are youth from the education department.