By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Supreme Court and the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF), or Fulbright Philippines, have forged a partnership to expand graduate scholarships, professional training and international educational exchanges for members of the Judiciary.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo and PAEF officials signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on October 6 at the Supreme Court En Banc Session Hall in Manila.
The agreement establishes a framework for graduate scholarships, visiting fellowships, training programs and other educational exchanges to strengthen judicial capacity and support the Court’s institutional development.
The two institutions will also explore jointly managed scholarship and training initiatives and facilitate U.S. expert participation in consultations, lectures, research and professional programs for the Judiciary.
Gesmundo said the partnership gives new focus to the Philippines-U.S. educational relationship by extending the Fulbright program’s reach into the justice sector.
He said the initiative supports the Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, particularly its goals of efficiency, innovation and access to justice.
PHILJA Chancellor and retired Associate Justice Edgardo L. Delos Santos said lawyers, judges, court officials and members of the Supreme Court are among Filipino Fulbright alumni.
He stressed that continuing education and professional development are essential to strengthening judicial institutions and public service.
U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Bridgette L. Walker said the agreement builds on decades of Philippine-U.S. cooperation and recognizes the role of educational exchanges in developing the people who operate key institutions.
She said PAEF would work with the Supreme Court to translate the MOU into concrete programs over the next five years.
Fulbright Philippines Executive Director Julio S. Amador III said the agreement, signed as the global Fulbright Program marks its 80th anniversary, extends its people-to-people mission beyond academe and into the Judiciary.
The Fulbright program has operated continuously in the Philippines since 1948, making the Philippine program the world’s longest continuously operating Fulbright program.
ia/xf
