“FORWARD FOR PEACE” WEBINAR CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF US PEACE CORPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

(from left to right, top to bottom) Moderator Patrick Realiza, PH Peace Corps Acting Director Roberto “Ambet” Yangco, Ambassador Brenda Schoonover (Peace Corps PH Volunteer Class of 1961), Mr. Michael Walsh (Peace Corps PH Volunteer Class of 1981), Ms. Rebecca “Bex” Scarbrough (Peace Corps PH Volunteer Class of 2012) shared their Peace Corps experiences in the Philippines.

PRESS RELEASE
WDC-48-2021
18 OCTOBER 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Peace Corps in the Philippines and Filipino American History Month, the Philippine Embassy premiered the webinar, “Forward for Peace” on 15 October 2021 at the Embassy’s official Facebook page, @PHinUSA.

The event, which is also part of the year-long commemoration of the 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the United States, brought together past Peace Corps volunteers to talk about their personal journey and experiences as well as representatives from the Peace Corps Philippines and the Peace Corps Alumni Foundation for Philippine Development (PCAFPD) to share the program’s mission and impact to aspiring future volunteers. 

Ambassador Brenda Brown Schoonover who was part of the first Peace Corps Class in the Philippine program was one of the guest alumni along with Rebecca Scarbrough and Michael Walsh. Peace Corps Philippines’ Acting Director of Programming and Training Ambet Yangco and PCAFPD scholar Hannah Catiis completed the lineup of speakers.  Patrick Realiza, Chair of the Peace and Security Committee for the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) moderated the event.

“I am thankful that the American people have been so interested in helping the Philippines and that the Peace Corps has enabled such volunteers to immerse themselves in our society. There is no doubt that the continued success of the Peace Corps Program, which was started by a great American President John F. Kennedy, is anchored on the passion and dedication of your members and volunteers who continue to make a life-changing impact at the grassroots level during and beyond their tours of service,” said Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez in his keynote message. 

Peace Corps Philippines is the agency’s second-oldest country program. In October 1961, the first group of Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Manila to work throughout the country as English language, mathematics, and science teachers. Since then, more than 9,300 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in the Philippines. ###

FORWARD FOR PEACE 7
Forward For Peace poster