PEACE CORPS DIRECTOR VISITS PHILIPPINES, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT ARROYO

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UNCLAS MANILA 002199

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PGOV, PREL, RP

SUBJ: PEACE CORPS DIRECTOR VISITS PHILIPPINES, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT

ARROYO

REF: MANILA 2178 (MINDANAO PEACE PROCESS)

1. (U) SUMMARY: Mission Manila welcomed the visit of Peace Corps

Director Donald A Tschetter to the Philippines on August 27th. The

visit included a meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at

Malacanang Palace, a visit to Peace Corps trainees in Negros

Oriental, and a roundtable meeting with the press. Ambassador

Kenney and the Peace Corps Country Director for the Philippines

accompanied Director Tschetter to Malacanang, where the President

expressed her appreciation for the Peace Corps' history of service

to the Philippines by saying, "Everywhere you go in the Philippines,

you find someone who knows Peace Corps volunteers." END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) President Arroyo said she was glad the director was here

and thanked him for the Peace Corps' having helped the Philippines

for so long. Director Tschetter thanked the President for the

support and hospitality the Peace Corps has enjoyed in the

Philippines. He also expressed his deepest appreciation for the

tremendous support the government of the Philippines had given in

resolving the Julia Campbell murder case and that her family was

very grateful. Director Tschetter told the President he visited the

Philippines when Campbell was announced missing. He was very

pleased to return for a longer visit under happier circumstances.

3. (SBU) President Arroyo responded that because the Peace Corps

has been in the Philippines since 1961, two generations of Filipinos

have grown up knowing the Peace Corps. Director Tschetter said that

over 8,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in the Philippines

since 1961, and he looked forward to continuing that effort into the

future. He pointed out that the number of Peace Corps volunteers

worldwide is at a 37-year high, including 69 new trainees in the

Philippines. He added that the organization's goals are the same

today as when they were first established by President John F.

Kennedy: a) to bring needed skills to foreign countries; b) to

bring the face of America to the world; c) for the volunteers to

bring back to America the knowledge gained through their experiences

in foreign countries. He noted that in the case of the Philippines,

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the volunteers have indeed been able to bring back very powerful

experiences. He explained that the Peace Corps has a new 50+

program, designed to attract retirees who have acquired significant

skills during their working careers. The oldest Peace Corps trainee

in the Philippines in the 50+ program is 81 years old.

4. (SBU) President Arroyo said she is looking forward to the day

when the Peace Corps could expand its programs to Mindanao after all

the obstacles to peace there had been removed. She said her

government is tracking down the Muslim insurgents who have been

sabotaging the peace process in Mindanao (reftel). Director

Tschetter said he was looking forward to hearing the President's

views on the future and was open to ideas for new projects.

President Arroyo replied that much foreign aid has been sent to

Mindanao for the Muslim community and it is important for the

Christian community to also benefit from that assistance so they can

share in the prosperity and have a stake in the peace process. The

Ambassador added that although there are no Peace Corps volunteers

in Mindanao, the Peace Corps is assisting with development efforts

there by bringing Filipino teachers from Mindanao to other cities in

the Philippines for training. The Ambassador also pointed out

USAID's projects throughout Mindanao that benefit peoples of all

faiths, communities, and provinces. President Arroyo concluded by

thanking the Director for all the Peace Corps has done over the

years for so many people in the Philippines.

5. (U) In a separate meeting with Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Alberto G. Romulo, Director Tschetter reiterated his appreciation

for the efforts of the Philippines government in investigating and

bringing to closure the Julia Campbell murder case. He lauded the

Philippines for its work in applying the law and ensuring justice

was done. Secretary Romulo responded by noting that Julia was loved

by the people of Albay, the province in which she worked. He said

the people held her in high esteem and asked that the Director

convey their sympathies and his to her family over their great loss.

6. (U) Director Tschetter also traveled to the province of Negros

Oriental where he met with Mayor Bentham De la Cruz of Amlan and a

delegation from the province. Mayor De la Cruz and Peace Corps

volunteer (PCV) Craig Bosman briefed the Director on a marine

sanctuary project they were working on for the coastline in Amlan.

The Mayor expressed his gratitude for the work being done by the

Peace Corps and said that local fishermen were seeing the benefits

of the marine sanctuary in the increased size of their catches in

the open waters outside the sanctuary boundaries. The Director

spoke to the delegation of the Peace Corps' history and service in

the Philippines and how the Peace Corps could play a role in coastal

resource management, as requested by the Philippine government.

7. (U) The Director met with several media representatives and

answered questions regarding the Peace Corps' presence in and

continued support for the Philippines. He explained that the murder

of Julia Campbell has not diminished Peace Corps' enthusiasm for the

Philippines. When asked why there were no volunteers in Mindanao,

the Director explained it was due to security concerns. He went on

to share details of the USAID funded project, Tudlo Mindanao, in

which teachers from Mindanao are trained by PCVs in other locations

and then return to their classrooms in Mindanao. He said the Peace

Corps looks forward to the day when PCVs can live and work in

Mindanao again.

8. (U) COMMENT: The Peace Corps is enormously popular and respected

in the Philippines. The Director's visit served to underscore the

Peace Corps' continuing commitment to the Philippines and to

highlight publicly and for top Philippine leaders the important work

the Peace Corps does here. END COMMENT.

KENNEY

PEACE CORPS DIRECTOR VISITS PHILIPPINES, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT ARROYO

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