Tuguegarao City (20 June) -- The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) is now accepting nominations for the Search for Outstanding Volunteers (SOV) 2008.

Milagros Rimando, NEDA director and SOV Regional Search Committee chairman said the search is open to all individuals with Filipino citizenship and Filipino volunteer organizations or local chapter organizations of foreign organizations that currently provide volunteer assistance in the Philippines.

The search aims to highlight and recognize the exemplary performance and dedication to service of Filipino volunteers in building strong communities through volunteerism.

The SOV has two categories the National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA) and Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA).

The NOVA award will be conferred to outstanding individuals and organizations with the following qualifications:

For the individual category, youth of 15-30 years old and adult 30 years and above who are consistently providing volunteer assistance for at least three years and five years respectively, may join the search, provided that they are members of volunteer organizations duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

For the organization category, the search is open to organizations that are consistently providing volunteer assistance for at least five (5) years (for non-profit) and at least three (3) years (for corporate), with SEC and/or PNVSCA registration.

The VLAA award is conferred to an individual of Filipino citizenship or a Filipino Volunteer organization or a local chapter organization of foreign volunteer organizations serving in the Philippines.

The nominees must possess the following qualifications: has been engaged in consistent volunteering activities for at least 25 years; has attained national status and recognition in the field of volunteerism; has been recipient of national and international awards; plays a significant role in promoting volunteerism and serves as role model through a positive representation of volunteerism as a development resource.

Individuals and heads of private sector organizations, local government units and national government agencies can nominate qualified individual or an organization. Nomination forms may be obtained from NEDA R02 and at http://www.pnvsca.gov.ph.