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IAMRAFI: Man With a Mission
The Story of Richard ‘Mansion’ de los Reyes,
Facilitator for Youth Development Program
By Marco Paulo Trajano Deligero | July 17, 2018
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Richard is one of the most recognizable facilitators of the Kool Adventure Camp of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-KAC). Guided by the values his mother taught him, he is making real changes in his community and in the lives of the people he meets, most especially in the lives of the campers he facilitates, campers whose lives are forever changed.
‘My Mother Is a Hero’
Richard or Chad to his friends, joined RAFI-KAC in January of 2012. He was exposed to the education setting at a very young age. His adoptive mother, who passed away last year, was a public school teacher. When he was younger, she would bring him to the school where she taught, as well as in DepEd-related activities and summer classes.
Chad said that his mother dedicated her life to teaching, and was very involved in school-related activities including fundraising, because she believed in giving back to the community.
“I believe in my heart that my mother was a hero,”
Greatest Lesson He Learned From His Mother
Chad grew up in the Municipality of Argao. He finished elementary at Langtad Elementary School, and graduated class valedictorian at the Argao National High School.
He attributes his achievements to the upbringing of his late mother, Herminia Almirante-Revilas, who adopted him when he was nine months old.
With the overall initiative of the school, and with his mother given the responsibility to make school projects happen, their school eventually became a model of excellence.
“I learned from my mother not to count the cost, but to always go the extra mile,”
The Formation of a Leader
In high school, Chad developed more of his leadership skills when he became the President of Supreme Student Government at the Argao National High School, and was very active and engaged in school-related activities.
While in college, Chad was exposed to a number of mentors and eventually finished his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Human Resources Management.
He was also exposed to a bigger civic leadership responsibility through the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) for Barangay, Federation and Provincial Federation, where he was elected the Chairman, Argao President, and Vice-President, respectively.
Real Change Has Come
One of the notable changes Chad made during his SK Federation leadership was reflected in his advocacy of “No Vote Buying,” a campaign that promoted clean and honest elections.
He also co-established the Alliance of Argawanon Young Leaders (AAYL) which reached out to different organizations to further identify and provide them with their training needs, which is crucial in youth development.
‘I Want to Be a KAC Facilitator!’
In college, he met the person who paved the way for his joining RAFI-KAC, on-call instructor Segundo “Kuya Bre” Abrea, Jr. He was introduced to the Kool Adventure Camp (KAC), and there he knew and declared to himself that he wanted to be a KAC facilitator. This was in 2009.
‘Mansion’ and the Kool Adventure Camp
Working with RAFI-KAC has helped Chad discover more about himself, understand his full potential and create more opportunities for growth with others.
“Before I was activity-driven, but now, I learned to be more impact-driven, KAC has long-term impact,” Chad said.
When asked on his journey with KAC, Chad said that he ‘never thought that an organization that focuses on youth development ever existed,’
His camp name is ‘Mansion,’ which is a combination of two important things: mission and passion. Chad believes that in whatever you do, if you combine these two things, you could effectively contribute to the community by being of service to others.
“It feels good to be able to help a person become better, and ignite in them the desire to have an active role in society. I want campers to go back to their communities and make a difference in their own little way,”
On His Greatest Lessons Learned From KAC
Being a KAC facilitator for six years now, Chad believes that ‘everybody has the capacity to contribute, to bring out their full potential.’ Part of his responsibility is to encourage campers to awaken the leaders in them, thus, Chad believes that ‘everyone is qualified to serve, it is just a matter of providing a safe environment and creating the right mindset and readiness,’
Most Meaningful Contribution: Partnership With DepEd Region 7
Having been exposed to DepEd-related activities at a young age and seeing his mother make lesson plans everyday, Chad contributes to the development of RAFI-KAC by initiating and strengthening the partnership between the KAC and the Department of Education Region 7.
“With what I have experienced from my mom, I thought, I will bring DepEd to KAC!”
As of today, KAC have forged partnerships with 13 champion-partners, out of 19 divisions in DepEd.
On Being an Ambivert
Chad considers himself an ambivert (a person who exhibits qualities of both introversion and extroversion), so being outdoors is a challenge.
“I am not a typical person, being outdoors is a challenge. I need exposure. I often ask myself, how can I blend? How can I deal with pressure?”
“But all of those I have overcome with the help of KAC,”
Due to his huge responsibility, time management is a challenge, so he makes sure he uses his time properly.
“I learned how to deal with pressure at work, time management, partnership management, everything,”
On Chad’s Biggest Career and Life Motivation
Seeing people discover their purpose is one of his biggest motivations. He believes that through this, he can make a change.
“Every time we have camp activities, I ask the campers, ‘why are you here?’”
“And they get to answer that on their own through their experience in the camp. They learn about their purpose without me intervening — for me that is magic,”
“Change happens when they feel loved and accepted… change eventually happens… just respect their flow and energy,”
On Being RAFInian
For Chad, a RAFInian is someone ‘who knows his worth, someone who learns that there is something that they can contribute, someone who knows where the partners are, and respects and gives each other direction,’
“A RAFInian is someone who can work together with partners, and with a shared vision,”
“I don’t see them as beneficiaries but partners. We should ask the same question: how can we share in each other’s mission? Because if we learn how to, we could do many things,”
On How He Wants to Be Remembered
When asked this question, Chad took his time to answer, ‘what could I say?’
“I think I want to be remembered as “Kuya Chad,”
“I want everyone to know, especially the campers, that there is somebody who accepts them no matter who they are; and I will always enjoy listening to them,”
“We must learn to have quality conversations, ask the right questions, and know how to listen,”
“Everybody has the capacity to contribute, to bring out their best potential, everyone is qualified to serve, we just have to help them,”
People Who Matters
There are many people that have contributed to Chad’s growth through the years; and this is his opportunity to thank them:
• Sir Charles Bobby Gothong
• Mentors in the Catholic Charismatic Carolinians — USC Group
• Catholic Charismatic Carolinians, is my life changer community in University of San Carlos, most especially to my mentors:
• Engr. Hearty Abadies-Zarsuela, Engr. Jason Buhay, Engr. Regie Gesta, Engr. Gil Guape, and Engr. Annaliza Fe Licardo- Chiong
• Meta-Coach Aldem Walbur Fernan Salvaña
• Fr. Loreto Jaque
• Simon “Tatay Monchito” Mossesgeld
• Atty. Rey Gealon
• Mentors in KAC — Shereen Abrea, Anthony Terrence Ocampo, and Marie Sol D. Gonzalvo
• Kuya Bre Segundo Abrea — Who first introduced to me formally the idea of Experiential Education
• Mentors from Play for Peace Global — Most especially Mr. and Mrs. John Guarrine and Irvin Torralva
• Jodelyn May Seno
• Lafayette Lim
• From the Light of Jesus Community — Daddy O and Bro. Stephen Imbong Nellas of the Radical Brothers, and LLR Batch 2 Sisters and Brothers
• Mentors in Argao National High School, most especially to Mrs. Suzette Omega, Mam Junnah Teo, Althanena Sayson and Mrs. Jessan Caminade
• Mentors and conveners in AAYL most especially to the co-founder — Van Owen Sesaldo
• My Mother Marife de los Reyes, and Father Mauricio “Yoyon” Genabe III;
• And my siblings: Earl Genabe, Denalyn de los Reyes-Warain, CJ Genabe, and Pheobe Jean Genabe
“I am so blessed with our story and forever thankful of the gift of family,”
“And to all the young leaders and community leaders I journey with until now, you are all my mentors,”
“To my Revillas and Almirante Family especially to my Daddy Aquilino S. Revillas, Ate Cheryl Revillas-Reoma, Kuya Neil Revillas, Ate Mimi Revillas and Kuya Ariel, with my nieces and newphew: Xylene, Khylle and Shannen,”
“I understand generosity, kindness and love better because of you choosing me to become part of the family,”
“To God, thank You Lord for these people who have brought out the best in me,”
“And to my mom, my ultimate hero. Every time I see DepEd; I see my mom, it is my way of honoring my mom. She accepted me, and she never gave up on me, thank you very much.” #IAMRAFI
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