65 new Peace Corps volunteers inducted

BACOLOD CITY – Ambassador Kristie Kenney of the United States Friday inducted 65 new Peace Corps volunteers who will be assigned to various parts of the country to work with Filipino counterparts in education, children and youth and environment sectors.

“You picked an amazing career. You picked a great country to serve in,” Kenney said in her message to the volunteers of Batch 267 in a ceremony held at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol Building here.

“You will show people that one person can make a difference... You will all make us proud,” she also said.

The volunteers and their counterparts will work with communities in Cagayan Valley, Regions 1,3, 4, Visayas, and the Bicol Region for two years. They join the other 65 volunteers who were inducted last year.

Peace Corps Country Director Sonia Derenoncourt, herself a volunteer for 21 years, said the Philippines is the largest beneficiary of the program but the number is not near yet of their desired target.

The new batch went through intensive technical training and learning the dialect of the province where they will be assigned. The trainings were held in Bacolod, Dumaguete and Batangas with host families for three months.

Eighty-one-year-old Sally Porter would have been the oldest in the current batch but she had to drop out of the program because of medical issues, training manager Ginny Lomarba said. However, Porter has expressed her willingness to go back, she also said.

Retired teacher Patricia Fuhr­man, 62, meanwhile, said joining the Peace Corps is a fulfillment of a long-time dream. “I grew up in the Kennedy era and I always wanted to be part of it,” she said.

Being assigned in the Philippines proved to be a homecoming for 26-year-old May Lynn Castillo of Los Angeles whose parents are natives of Lingayen, Pangasinan and Manila. “It is with great pride to be working in the country of my ancestors,” she said.

The induction ceremony was also attended by Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Social Welfare undersecretary Celia Yangco and Gov. Isidro Zayco with the members of the Provincial Council.

Prior to the induction, Kenney also paid a courtesy call on Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia at the New Government Center.