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Written by: Alyssa Villa

In a significant stride towards fostering international cooperation, cultural understanding, and service learning, the United States Peace Corps (USPC ) Response Program and the Australian Volunteers Program (AVP) conducted turn-over ceremonies celebrating the service commitment of their volunteers and signifying the formal commencement of the volunteers’ assistance and assignments with local government units and academic institutions in two separate events.

Through the United States Peace Corps Response program, three academic institutions namely the University of the Philippines – Los Banos (UPLB), Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System, and Northern  Iloilo State University (NISU) – Barotac Viejo Campus, are collaborating with international volunteers, to enrich their educational offerings and advance their institutional goals with diverse perspectives and expertise on curriculum review and development and agro-ecotourism project. The volunteer assigned in UPLB will be providing assistance to the university’s project titled “Enhancement of Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) Undergraduate Courses and Graduate Curricula.”;

Photo taken during the United States Peace Corps Response Volunteer Orientation and Swearing-In Ceremony on April 11and 12, 2024, respectively at Citadines Bay City, Pasay.

while for PSHS, the assigned volunteer will assist in the “Curriculum Review and Development Project”; and lastly the volunteer in NISU will provide assistance in the Development of 5-year Comprehensive Agro-ecotourism Development Plan in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo: A baseline for Agri-Eco Tourism Project” of the University.

During the USPC – Response Volunteers  Swearing-In Ceremony held on 12 April 2024 at Citadines Bay, Pasay, USPC new Country Director Marguerite Roy expressed her full support and best wishes for the journey ahead of the volunteers. She conveyed that with the dedication and hard work of the volunteers together with their Local Partner Institutions will create positive impact in the communities they serve.

Photo taken during the Australian Volunteers Program (AVP) Swearing-in and Turn-over Ceremony on April 16, 2024, at Citadines Roces, Quezon City.

While, through the Australian Volunteers Program (AVP), three local government units (LGUs) namely LGU Canaman, Camarines Sur, LGU Victorias City, Negros Occidental, and LGU La Trinidad, Benguet, have welcomed international volunteers,  who will assist them on municipal planning and development, tourism promotion, and disaster risk reduction and management.  The turnover of the AVP volunteers was conducted on April 16, 2024 at the Citadanes Roces, Quezon City with the presence of the First Secretary for Development of the Australian Embassy, Mr. Paul Harrington, DFAT Officials, local partner institutions, and guests.

The engagement of international volunteers continuously nurtures a culture of unity in diversity. It also paves the way for mainstreaming volunteerism across the functions of instruction, research, extension, production of academic institutions and in local governance in LGUs.  By leveraging the expertise, passion, and diverse perspectives of international volunteers, academic institutions can cultivate and strengthen a culture of service among its students and faculty and LGUs can harness the power of volunteerism to steer sustainable development, promote social inclusion, and build resilient communities.

PNVSCA Executive Director Donald James D. Gawe has expressed his support to the volunteers and LPIs and encourged them to approach the volunteer engagement with a mindset of maximizing its potential.

He further stated, “Forge meaningful connections with your fellow volunteers, your local partners, and the community you serve. Your volunteering here is not just about fulfilling a task, it is an opportunity to be part of something greater: to create stories, to shape communities, and to contribute to the collective betterment of our society.

Following the swearing-in, the volunteers were ceremonially handed over to their respective local partner institutions, symbolizing the beginning of a collaborative journey towards shared goals.

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The authors are currently the Volunteer Service Officer II of the Program Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PCMED), Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.

Visit PNVSCA website (www.pnvsca.gov.ph) and PNVSCA Facebook (facebook.com/PNVSCA) for other stories and information on volunteering.