PWDs can be more for others too, says JCI Cebu President

While sipping his morning coffee at home last Saturday, Clent Medina heard his phone ring — a saved reminder for the day’s to-dos — and his liver shiver.

That made him realize again how long his day was going to be — as the president of the host chapter of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Philippines – Central Visayas Week, as an entrepreneur whose line of business has been greatly affected by the pandemic since last year, and as a patient of a rare liver disease.

Clent after one of his medical consultations with doctor | Contributed Photo

That was the last day of the JCI Week celebration in Cebu, a week of community outreach activities, trainings & economic development programs, aimed at helping the underprivileged rise from the challenges of this pandemic.

That was also a day for Medina, currently the president of JCI Cebu, to pay a visit to his doctor for a regular consultation on a liver disease he got since birth. That rare one named biliary atresia.

“My JCI journey has always been about being more for others,” said Medina, who attended the capping off meeting of JCI Week last Saturday at the Citadines, “and I’ve always wanted to prove that rare diseases like mine will never be a hindrance to this pursuit.”

Clent during the donation drive for fire victims | Contributed Photo

The JCI Week celebration that was hosted this year by his chapter, JCI Cebu, has culminated after a medical mission project for the poor organized with JCI Zugbuana, a coastal clean-up drive led by JCI WoMandaue, a bamboo economy awareness webinar by JCI Metro Cebu Uptown, a vaccination awareness forum by JCI Mandaue, a social entrepreneurship workshop organized with JCI Cebu Sinulog, among others.

Clent with wife and newborn baby born during the lockdowns in 2020 | Contributed Photo

Although the day ended with celebratory claps for its success, Medina had to prepare himself right after the meeting for another important thing to do: consultation with his doctor.

He was told he’d need to schedule a surgery within the year, but Medina, being a philanthropist molded by his eight years of involvement with JCI Cebu’s community activities, asked if he can at least complete his presidential term before that.

“We are in the middle of a pandemic, and I’m not turning a blind eye to our brothers and sisters here in Cebu who are affected by it. I’ve chosen to lead despite the pandemic & I am a man of my word,” he said.

Medina assured that the JCI Week’s end is not the end of his drive to be more for others this year. This, despite closing down his spa business in Danao early this year and preparing himself for a surgery that his doctor wants him to undergo this year.

Librawheels

One of the ongoing projects of his term is the “LibraWheels: Bringing the Gift of Reading to the Community,” a book donation drive campaign with a new library built in a remote community in Cebu as its ultimate goal.

Clent with children beneficiaries | Contributed Photo

The program was launched last Feb. 28, with a printer and piles of books donated at the Caohagan Elementary School at the Caohagan island, whose geographical location make it seemingly hard to access for quality books.

LibraWheels will have its next stop at a remote community in Malabuyoc by June, with a book reading and storytelling program for the children there.

Coders of Cebu

Medina also pushes for his term’s Coders of Cebu Training Program, a program that aims to equip the underprivileged youth with coding and software engineering skills, prior to them undergoing an assessment that will give them an opportunity to be hired by partner IT companies of JCI Cebu’s program partner, the Cebu IT-BPM Organization also known as CIB.O.

Application is still ongoing via the Coders of Cebu Facebook Page and the different barangay centers of the Cebu City Sangguniang Kabataan Federation until April 30, with the target start of the program proper in June.

Other Programs

Medina is also busy finalizing other project plans this year for the community like his planned “1-Million Bakhaw for SRP Cebu: Mangrove Planting Project,” “Cebu CommuniTrees: Reforestation of Cebu City’s Forest Areas,” “#QuickieThon Skills Development Program for the Youth,” “Cebu on RISE: Youth Leadership Bootcamp from the South to the North,” “MediPaw: Free Medical Program for PWDs & their Pets” among others.

Read more: JCI Week launched; stronger members’ ties eyed

“I want to enjoin all my fellow Cebuanos who are gifted enough to give, to do and be more for others. Since last year my small business ventures were affected by the pandemic, my health as a biliary artesia patient has slightly deteriorated, but I believe that the ultimate goal of life is not to be healthier and wealthier, but to be able to achieve things that are bigger than myself, these little contributions that when added up make up as a good enough contribution to make this world a better place for all,” Medina said.

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