Written by: Pia P. Castillo
On Monday, November 18th, a distinguished delegation from Cambodia, led by His Excellency Chek Lim, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Youth at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MoEYS), visited the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA). This visit was part of a mission focused on strengthening youth engagement and advancing volunteerism in both nations.
Organized by France Volontaires (FV) Cambodia in collaboration with FV Philippines, the delegation included key representatives from the VolCam – Cambodia Volunteering Network member organizations that includes – Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF), Committee for Cambodia Cooperation (CCC), Khmer Youth Association (KYA), VSO Cambodia, World Vision Cambodia (WVC), and Youth Star Cambodia (YSC), alongside officials from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The Cambodian Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Phan Peuv, was also present to support the mission.
The primary goal of the visit was to exchange good practices, share valuable experiences, and explore opportunities for deepening cooperation in advancing volunteerism and youth development. His Excellency Chek Lim expressed the Cambodian delegation’s genuine enthusiasm to learn from the Philippines’ established volunteer ecosystem.
Recognizing the Philippines’ significant progress in volunteerism, HE Chek Lim shared Cambodia’s commitment to understanding the national strategies in place, with the aim of developing a more structured and effective volunteer system in their own country. This exchange is viewed as a crucial opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties, fostering deeper collaboration in the field of volunteerism.
Executive Director Donald James Gawe shared insights into the Philippine Volunteer Agenda and Framework Plan emphasizing the important role of volunteerism as a development strategy, He explained how volunteer programs are integrated into the Philippine Development Plan. Deputy ED Ms. Ela Sarmago, further elaborated on the agency’s priorities, highlighting how volunteer deployment is aligned with the national development goals and plays an important role in shaping social and economic progress.
The visit also brought together representatives from some PNVSCA partner International Volunteer Service Organizations (IVSOs) such as AVP, JICA, KOICA, and USPC. These organizations shared their volunteer programs and activities and described how they collaborate with PNVSCA to amplify the impact of volunteerism across the country. The Cambodian delegation was particularly keen to learn about the strategies used to engage young people in volunteer initiatives and how international organizations contribute to shaping national policies on youth engagement and social development.
This rich discussion gave the delegation a deeper understanding of the Philippines’ volunteerism ecosystem, highlighting the vital role of youth in national development and the contributions of international volunteer organizations as agents of social change.
The learning exchange served as a platform for sharing good practices and setting the stage for continued collaboration between the two countries in advancing volunteerism and youth engagement. PNVSCA remains dedicated to fostering international partnerships that harness the power of volunteerism as a transformative tool for social and economic development. We look forward to further cooperation and mutual learning between Cambodia and the Philippines, strengthening our shared commitment to volunteerism as a driver of positive change.
Group Photo
The author is currently the Senior Volunteer Service Officer 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.