ORIENTAL NEGROS CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY NETWORK (ONCAN)

What is ONCAN?

ONCAN is the umbrella organization for 30+ NGOs (including CASA CITTADINI) that assist 5000+ children throughout Negros Oriental, Philippines. The NGOs are independently funded and some have been operating for as long as 25 years.

ONCAN’s mission is to become a powerful information and resource centre for its network of Members.

ONCAN will plan, facilitate and co-ordinate inter-Member resource sharing opportunities, training, income generating activities, and child protection media promotions. ONCAN has member NGOs as well as partners such as the DSWD and the PNP.

The ONCAN Mission:

ONCAN was formed to create a powerful child advocacy network from 23 stand-alone NGOs and LGUs all of whom are dedicated to the care and protection of children from abuse, and in particular, to raise community awareness of children's rights and child-protection legislation.

The child beneficiaries include street kids, orphans, abused children, juvenile delinquents, children from disadvantaged families, children with disabilities and children from cultural minorities.

Main Activities: The assistance and services provided by network members include orphanages, shelters, feeding programs, day care centers, disability centers, educational sponsorships, preschools, adoption services, legal services, training programs, medical and dental services, income generating activities, spiritual education and community education

The Negros Oriental Children's Advocacy Network (ONCAN) was incorporated in September 3rd, 2007 and is based in Dumaguete. The network currently comprises 30+ NGO member organizations both residential (orphanages, children’s home) and community-based.

List of Officers:


President:
MARIETTA "BABY" JAMBORA
Ministry Leader
Chapel of the Doves

Vice President:
CARMENIA BENOSA
Project Administrator
Little Children of the Philippiines

Secretary:
WHITNEY FLEMING
PRO
Dignity Plus

Treasurer:
ANALOU SUAN
Executive Director
The Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc.

Auditor:
LIBERTY C. MURILLO
Project Administrator
Kalauman Development Centre

Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) Consultants:
KEITH BARRETT
KEITH CARPENTER
LEI PARKER (also volunteer Website Administrator)
GARY EVANS

Spiritual Directors:
Pastor MIKE YOST, Rainbow Village Ministries
Pastor SAMUEL TEMPLADO, International Care Ministries Phils. Inc.
Brother LAMBERTO TIMBOL, Casa Miani-Arvedi
Sister CELINA JOSEPH, Casa Cittadini Foundation, Inc.

ONCAN Activities Update:

ONCAN has a Strategic Plan for 2009-2013 developed by Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) Consultant Keith Barrett. Part of the plan is the CAPACITY BUILDING THRUST which is the basis of the Action Plan and activities currently being undertaken by its NGO members.

As part of its capacity building thrust, the President, Baby Jambora, in coordination with Mr. Keith Barrett, was able to access the resources of a group from Australia known as the Australian Business Volunteers or ABV. This group is composed of experts from various fields.

We have had the opportunity of meeting with ABV Consultant Dr. Keith Carpenter who gave us guidelines on how to prepare business plans or business proposals which are the documents needed to be able to secure funding from local and international funding agencies.

We also had ABV Consultant, Lei Parker, who helped us develop our own website (which is linked to the website of ONCAN: www.oncan.org).

The main objective for this is to enable ONCAN and its members such as Casa Cittadini to be visible in the online community and to advance its advocacy and fund raising capability through this tool.

You may visit our own website and online newsletter in these addresses:

http://www.oncan.org/CasaCittadini/CasaCittadini.htm
http://www.casacittadini.blogspot.com/

Again we are privileged to have an ABV Consultant, Gareth Evans, to help ONCAN with our Advocacy and Fund Raising Campaign as vital part in the implementation of our Strategic Plan. He will be here for four weeks only (09 July 2010 - 12 Aug 2010).

The goal is to enable ONCAN member organizations and media partners to learn/improve on advocacy writing and in conducting effective advocacy and fund-raising campaigns using the media (radio, TV, newspapers).

In line with the strategic plan, senior students of the college of Mass Communications of Silliman University and Negros Oriental State University will select an ONCAN member NGO from the ONCAN website and do advocacy/feature writing and fund raising for the NGO selected.