PEACE CORPS DEPLOYS 54

Fifty-four American volunteers have arrived in the Philippines for community assignments in education, disaster preparedness and environmental protection, expanding one of the longest-running US civilian programs in the country amid a milestone year in Philippine-American relations.

The 49 volunteers, who make up the Peace Corps’ 283rd batch in the Philippines, will spend the next two years living and working with local communities.

They will co-teach English in public elementary and secondary schools, help implement youth development programs in centers run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and assist local governments in coastal resource management projects.

Unlike traditional foreign assistance programs that fund projects from outside, Peace Corps volunteers live in the communities they serve, learn local languages and work alongside local partners to develop programs based on community-identified needs.

The five Peace Corps Response volunteers, representing the agency’s 56th batch in the country, will serve shorter six- to 12-month assignments requiring specialized professional expertise.

They will support local governments and higher education institutions in disaster risk reduction, emergency response and environmental programs.

Peace Corps Philippines director Marguerite Roy said the new volunteers would continue the agency’s decades-long partnership with Filipino communities.

The deployment comes as the Peace Corps marks 65 years of operations in the Philippines, one of its oldest country programs.

The anniversary coincides with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the US and the 250th anniversary of US independence.

The Philippines is the Peace Corps’ second-oldest program worldwide.

Since 1961, more than 9,700 Americans have served in communities across the country, supporting Philippine government and locally- led initiatives in education, environmental conservation and community development.