06 June 2016 - Consul General Generoso D.G. Calonge met yesterday with a group of undergraduate students of Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU), Bloomington, IL who will be visiting the Philippines under the 2016 Freeman Asia Internship Program (FAIP) from June 10 to August 6 to serve in various institutions.

Dr. Jonathan Green, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, and Dr. Teodora Amoloza, a Filipino-American Professor of Sociology and Director of the FAIP, accompanied and introduced the students, who will be working with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in Taguig City, Gawad Kalinga (GK) Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baňos, Laguna.

According to Dr. Amoloza, the Freeman Foundation, which aims, among others, at strengthening the bonds of friendship between the U.S. and East Asian countries, increased its grant to accommodate more students this year. They were then able to increase participation from the original 10 last year to 18.

Consul General Calonge, together with Deputy Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr., Consul Ricarte Abejuela III and Cultural Officer Liezel Alcantara, congratulated the students for being selected to participate in the internship program. He presented a summary of the history of the Philippines and provided some suggestions on sites to visit and usual precautionary tips when traveling to big cities. In addition, a short promotional video about the Philippines was played and brochures were distributed to the students.

Dr. Green expressed appreciation for the briefing and opportunity to meet with Consulate officials and said he looked forward to continuing IWU’s cooperation with Philippine educational institutions. While faculty members and university officials are not covered by the program, he noted that 1% of their student population will be in the Philippines this summer. END