Wednesday, January 28, 2009

List of scholarship available in the Philippines

I tried to compiled different scholarship grants being offered now in the Philippines. this compilation is a just small step in helping Filipinos achieve dreams of a better life through Education...happy scholarship hunting!!!

1. scholarship

Scholarships= PCCI’s

Through the PCCI’s extensive links with various local and international government and private institutions such as the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Scholarship Committee; Colombo Plan Secretariat; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Japan Employers Confederation (NIKKEIREN); the Employers Confederation of the Philippines; Kansai Economic Federation (KANKEIREN); Asian Productivity Organization (APO); Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); and the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), members are provided with first hand opportunities to attend training programs here and abroad.




AVAILABLE TRAININGS AND SCHOLARSHIPS


2. scholarship

Special Scholarships

PCAFPD Special Scholarships include memorial scholarships, and individual or group sponsorships. Costs for tuition, books, fees, and living allowance for each student average $1000 per year. For more information about special scholarships, please contact us.

Julia Campbell Memorial Scholarships
There are two special scholarships in memory of Julia Campbell, a Peace Corps Volunteer who was slain in April 2007 while hiking in the rice terraces.


Learn more about Julia Campbell and the scholarships.

Rachel Singer Memorial ScholarshipRachel Singer
Rachel Singer was a Volunteer in Batangas from 1963-65 and worked for t
he Peace Corps in Washington D.C. for several years after her return. For the past nearly 25 years, Rachel was a pivotal player at the New York Blood Center. In addition to her duties as Assistant to the President, she often served as a bone marrow courier, bringing that life source to people all over the world. Rachel was a talented singer who originally stirred our souls in Manila’s pubs, an avid folk dancer, tennis player, runner, and aspiring golfer. But most of all, she was a good friend to all who knew and loved her. At the time of her death from stomach cancer on June 29, 2007 at the age of 67, she was planning a return trip to the Philippines. This scholarship honors her memory and is intended to help complete that circle for her.
Donations can be made online through this website or by mailing a check to:
PCAFPD, Box 100114, Arlington, VA 22210.
Please include a note that your donation is intended for the Rachel Singer Memorial Scholarship.


The Association of Philippine Practicing Physicians of Arizona
APPPA is a membership organization of Filipino physicians founded in 1975 to support the professional development of its members. The group is also involved with community projects and sponsors cultural programs. Like many Filipino organizations in the United States, APPPA has not forgotten its roots. Members have responded to natural disasters in the Philippines and have carried out Medical Missions in Baguio, Naga, Cagayan de Oro and Zambales. The Association sets aside a percentage of its membership dues in a scholarship fund.
The APPPA Board recently decided to work through PCAFPD, and the lucky recipient of the first APPPA scholarship is Vanessa Esquivias of Sorsogon, the oldest of four children of a widowed mother. Vanessa will attend Bicol University in Gubat to earn a degree in elementary education. PCAFPD is delighted to welcome APPPA into its network of supporters.

Douglas R. Watts Memorial Scholarship
Doug Watts (Group 1) served in the barrio of Rizal, Casiguran, Sorsogon from 1961-63. Doug had a great interest in the natural world and marine life in particular. While in the Philippines he explored the sea shore life and inspired Filipino children to be curious about the sea and the balance of life. A native of Hampshire, Doug had a BA and Masters in biology from the University of New Hampshire. Following Peace Corps service, Doug taught in the Trust Territories schools on Palau in the West Caroline Islands. Later Doug joined the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, which took him all over the globe and gave him a chance to indulge his insatiable appetite to experience exotic places and cultures. Doug died on September 22, 2002 of a massive heart attack. He is survived by his wife Liz, their three children, and two grandchildren.

Soledad Tejada Memorial Scholarship
Soledad TejadaSoledad Taopo Tejada, known to most PCVs as Mama Choleng or Mama Ying, welcomed volunteers into her home in Catanduanes for over 35 years. Mama Choleng was a head teacher when she first began working with PCVs. As she advanced to principal and later to district supervisor, she remained a foster mother to all PCVs in the province. The home she shared with her husband, Pio, was a place for volunteers to meet, relax, and share their experiences. She looked after them with tender care, especially when they were sick, but when she felt they were out of line she also admonished them to be good -- just like a real mother. The parents of the PCVs often wrote to thank her for her warm concern for their children. Her daughter, her nephew, and one grandchild all married PCVs. Mama Choleng died suddenly in March of 1997 at the age of 76. As a token of their appreciation for all she did for them, volunteers of Catanduanes established a scholarship in her name.

BIMAK Scholarship
BIMAK is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing the Igorot heritage among Filipino-Americans residing in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. BIMAK is acronym for Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Apayao, Abra and Kalinga, the provinces comprising the Cordillera Administrative Region in Northern Philippines. It is a community where the members, who are away from home, celebrate the cycle of life the Igorot way, re-rooting themselves to the strong values of their past. It also aims to give assistance to brethren back in the Cordilleras. BIMAK has partnered with PCAFPD for a number of years, making scholarship contributions in honor of Pamela Johnstone Moguet, BIMAK member and PCV in the Philippines in 1978-1980. Pam died of breast cancer in 1994 at the age of 38.
Pam and Henry Moguet
Pam and Henry
Moguet
Maureen Joan Carroll Scholarship
Peace Corps/Philippines
Group 1 members donated over $5000 to establish a scholarship to recognize fellow group member Maureen Carroll. The award acknowledges Maureen's leadership over the years to keep Group 1 folks in touch with each other and her long and dedicated service as a Board Member of PCAFPD.

Past Individual Sponsors
Many thanks to the following people who have sponsored scholars in the past: Lynn Gorton, Martha Allshouse-Hull, Mr. and Mrs. Rey Bald, Lane and Jill Johnson, Chris and Glen Newhall, Dr. and Mrs. Jay Slosberg, and Allen Rothenberg.


Maureen Carroll and Ron Peters

3. IMSFI=Scholarship

Frequently-Asked-Questions

    APPLYING FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

  1. How do I apply for a scholarship?
  2. You can apply in one of two ways:

    • Pick up a scholarship form at the PUP Alumni Office.
    • Go to IMSFI.org, click on the scholarship form tab and print.

    Complete the scholarship form and essay, including all necessary transcripts, referrals and sealed photos and send the address listed on the application form.

  3. What are the eligibility requirements for scholarship consideration?
  4. Students whose family income is P_____ and below must possess a 2.0 grade point average (B) and be involved in community service.

  5. What does my scholarship cover?
  6. The scholarship will cover all your tuition and book expenses during your college education. You will have to maintain a 4.0 grade point average and your grades will be reviewed at the close of each year.

  7. When will I know if I have been granted a scholarship?
  8. The IMSFI scholarship committee continually reviews scholarship applications. They will contact the individual(s) who have won the awards by the end of the current school year.

    MEMBERSHIP

  9. Why should I become a member?
  10. Think of IMSFI as a vehicle where you can give back to the community by helping us raise the necessary funds to further our youths' education. It's not only about the money; it's about the joys of fulfillment, when you know you're part of an organization that cares and is really working for the good of our youths.

    DONATIONS

  11. How much should I donate?
  12. Donation is personal to you and what your means allows. On behalf of the children, we are grateful for any amount you donate. Every little bit helps.

  13. Is it tax deductible?
  14. Yes. Your donation is tax deductible. Please see the donation tab for details on how to receive a donation receipt from IMSFI.

  15. What is my donation used for?
  16. 100% of your donations go to the IMSFI scholars to pay for their tuition, books and any other educational expenses they incur relating to their studies.

Meralco foundation

About MFI PDF Print

MFI Foundation Inc. (formerly Meralco Foundation, Inc.) is a non-stock, non-profit science foundation that has provided quality training and education in the Philippines for more than 30 years.

Guided by its goal to see every Filipino pursuing a dignified and gainful way of life, MFI reaches out to serve in both the industry and agricultural sectors.

MFI fulfills its noble purpose through these operation centers:The MFI Technological Institute (formerly Meralco Foundation Institute) oversees MFI’s flagship program - the Industrial Technician Program (ITP) which offers post-secondary, non-degree courses on industrial technologies especially to less privileged students. These courses are offered with scholarship on selective basis.

MFI-TI is also home to the MFI Training Program which offers certificate short courses for people who are already in the workforce. MFI Training is available under the following technologies: Automotive/RAC, Electrical, Electronics, IT, Instrumentation, and Mechanical (tool and die), and also on soft skills training like human resource development programs and interventions.

Aside from its main branch in Ortigas, quality MFI training is also available at MFI-TI’s newest branch in Calamba, Laguna.MFI-TI also co-manages the Tarlac Training Center which is situated at the Luisita Industrial Park in Tarlac City.

The MFI Farm Business Institute, currently an institute in its formative stage, aims to provide quality education and training programs for the agri-business sector, and to serve as a catalyst in the development of agri-entrepreneurship. It addresses the growing need for both formal and non-formal education in the agri-business sector which will help transform the farmer into a farmer entrepreneur. It targets individuals and communities from all economic strata, gender, age, educational and professional background. Its proposed human resource development programs for the agri-business sector are geared towards industry and enterprise development that will pave the way towards community economic development. MFI-FBI operates the Jala-Jala Farmers’ Training Center in Brgy. Punta, Jala-Jala, Rizal. It also supports the Bais Family Farm School in Bais City, Negros Oriental.

MFI is an ISO 9001:2000 certified organization and recognized as a “Model Center of Excellence” by the Asean Economic Minsters-Japan Economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee, as attested by the Department of Trade and Industry Center for Industrial Competitiveness in industrial, technical and vocational education.
The Government of the Philippines has started the implementation of the Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Project by the assistance of the Government of Japan in Japanese Fiscal Year 2002.
The objective of the JDS Project is to provide Philippine nationals with opportunities for obtaining master’s degree at Japanese universities in order to support human resource development policy of the Government of the Philippines, and eventually to extend and strengthen the bilateral relationship between the Philippines and Japan.
The main target groups of the JDS Project would be young government employees who are expected to engage in formulating and implementing social and economic development plans and to play leadership roles in the Philippines.
For the JDS project in the Philippines, the “Common Agenda” has been settled for each field as follows:
  • Public Administration:
    • Building Institutional Capacity for Better Governance
    • Advancing Decentralization and Regional Development
  • Economics:
    • Ensuring Balanced and Stable Fiscal Management
    • Promotion of Sound Market and Industries
  • Business Administration:
    • Providing Sound and Attractive Business Environment
  • Information and Communication Technology:
    • ICT Policy to Create Wider and Advanced Usage
  • Industrial Development:
    • Industrial Development Policy for Global Competitiveness

Every Applicant is expected to share his/her own view of how the knowledge acquired in Japan will be utilized to the development of the Philippines, by tackling one of the Common Agenda for the applying field of study. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to relate the Common Agenda and the research plan, as well as your current work.

Applicant’s perspective for future career plan shall be one of the important factors to be considered for the selection of JDS project.

25 scholarships will be offered to study in Japan for commencement in 2009-2010.

Qualifications and Requirements

*This is the re-opening of Application for the field of Economics, Business Administration, and Industrial Development
* Deadline of application: January 21, 2009

  1. Nationality:
    Must be a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines.
  2. Age:
    Below 40 years old as of April 1, 2009.
    (Those who were born on/after April 2, 1969)
  3. Occupation:
    Should be a civilian government employee.
  4. Work Experience:
    Currently employed in government with permanent status and with at least 2 years work experience at the time of application.
  5. Performance Rating:
    Has a performance rating of at least “very satisfactory” in the organization at the time of nomination.
  6. Academic Background:
    Should have a Bachelor’s degree relevant to the target fields.
    For ICT field, Applicant is required to have a bachelor’s degree in ICT or equivalent.
  7. Degree:
    Has not been awarded foreign scholarship for Master’s degree.
  8. Responsibilities of JDS fellow:
    When selected as a final successful candidate, he/she is required;
    1. To sign and submit the pledge to follow the conditions deemed necessary as JDS fellow. (If a fellow violates any articles of the pledge, the scholarship may be cancelled.)
    2. To fill out an application form of the university.
    3. NOT to change university and/or field of study.
    4. To attend the pre-departure Japanese language training in Makati City on full time basis (April to June 2009).
    5. To participate in briefing orientation and Japanese language training in Japan (mid July to August or September 2009).
    6. To contribute to socio-economic development of the Philippines with the acquired knowledge upon return to the Philippines.
    7. To be in good condition physically and mentally during the stay in Japan as an ODA Scholar.
      *If there is a drastic change in fellow’s health condition including pregnancy before and during his/her stay in Japan, or/and if the accepting university considers his/her condition is not suitable enough in the pursuit of academic goal, scholarship is subject to cancellation, based on the decision/guidance of university and the Operating Committee of the JDS Philippines.

Scholarship

Local Scholarship Program (LSP) - Philippines

Source: Civil Service Commission


A support mechanism on the process of professionalizing the ranks in the bureaucracy, the government-wide Local Scholarship Program (LSP) administered by the Civil Service Commission primarily aims to provide government employees with educational opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills toward career and personal growth and advancement.

Components of the Local Scholarship Program:

  • LSP-Masteral Degree (LSP-MD)
    • Established in 1993 through CSC Resolution No. 93-299
    • Provides qualified government employees with a one-year scholarship grant to pursue masteral or post graduate studies
  • LSP-Bachelor's Degree Completion (LSP-BDC)
    • Started in 1996 by virtue of CSC Resolution No. 967300
    • Offers undergraduates in government a maximum of two-year scholarship to complete their studies and earn a college diploma
  • LSP-Skilled Workers in Government (LSP-SWG
    • Instituted in 1994 under CSC Resolution No. 94-2380
    • Affords a short-term (not exceeding six months), continuing skills upgrading or enhancement training to first level government employees holding clerical, trades, crafts and custodial service positions

Qualifications & Benefits of the Scholar

Type of Scholarship QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLAR
LSP - MDC
  • Bachelor's degree from a college or university recognized &/or accredited by CHED
  • Permanent status of appointment for 3 years at the time of application
  • Performance rating of at least Very Satisfactory for the last 2 consecutive rating periods
  • No age limit provided the service contract will be complied
  • Good health as evidenced by a medical certificate from a gov't physician
  • Has not earned a masteral degree; but employees with masteral units only &/or on thesis writing, & those who have availed of short-term courses whether local or foreign are qualified to apply
  • Has no service obligation being served during the period of scholarship
  • Nomination of the agency head
  • Co-terminus employees may avail on meritorious cases provided the service obligation will be met & the employee is not related to the agency head within 4th degree of consanguinity or affinity
  • Study on official time
  • Relief from all duties and responsibilities during period of scholarship
  • Tuition & school fees not exceeding P30,000
  • Book allowance of P10,000
  • Thesis writing assistance of P10,000 for thesis program or P5,000 research assistance for non-thesis program
  • Entitlement to receive regular salaries, allowances & other benefits as provided by law for the duration of the grant
  • Period of scholarship shall be credited as continuous service
  • Special incentive of P100,000 to top 10 qualifiers consisting of P80,000 for tuition, book & other school fees, & P20,000 for thesis writing, research or policy paper & other similar requirements
  • The scholarship may be availed of within 2 school years after qualifying in the program

Note: Once awarded the scholarship, the scholar shall no longer be eligible for nomination to any local or foreign training scholarship grant.

LSP - BDC
  • Permanent appointment in 1st or 2nd level position in gov't
  • Completion of 2nd year college studies
  • 2 years work experience in gov't
  • Performance rating of at least Satisfactory for the last 2 consecutive rating periods
  • Not more than 58 years old as of last birthday
  • In good health
  • Certification from applicants' former school or any other school where they intend to enroll attesting that they need only 1 or 2 years to complete college
  • Study on official time
  • Relief from all official duties & responsibilities for the duration of the scholarship
  • Tuition & other school fees not exceeding P15,000
  • Book allowance of P2,000
  • Period of scholarship shall be credited as continuous service
  • Entitlement to receive regular salaries, allowances & other benefits as provided by law for the duration of the grant
LSP - SWG *temporarily suspended since 2001
  • Open to all gov't employees in the 1st level positions (clerical, trades, crafts & custodial services positions)
  • Permanent/temporary appointment
  • At least 1 year service in gov't
  • Performance rating of Satisfactory in the last rating period
  • Not more than 58 years old
  • In good health
  • Applicants who are interested in skills upgrading courses must be presently performing jobs relevant to the course applied for & must have the basic skills &/or related experience
  • Training fee not exceeding P3,000
  • Attendance in training on official time
  • Regular salaries & allowances such as PERA for the duration of the grant
  • Travel & per diem allowances if grantee attends training in another region, province or municipality

Note: Employees with pending administrative cases may apply & qualify for the LSP. However, should they later be found guilty of an administrative offense, their scholarship grant will be automatically revoked & they will be required to refund to the CSC and their respective agency the amount that has been paid for the grant.

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  • Thursday, January 22, 2009

    Barack's Inauguration speech



    (CNN) -- Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States and the nation's first African-American president Tuesday. This is a transcript of his prepared speech.
    In his speech Tuesday, President Obama said America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

    In his speech Tuesday, President Obama said America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.


    Click to view next image

    My fellow citizens:

    I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

    Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

    So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

    That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. Video Watch the full inauguration speech »

    These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

    Watch with CNN
    Watch the historic inauguration of Barack Obama with CNN and the best political team on TV
    Live coverage all day

    Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

    On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

    On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

    We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

    In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

    For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

    For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

    For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

    Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

    This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

    For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

    Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

    What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

    Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

    As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

    Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

    We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

    For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

    To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

    To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

    As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

    For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

    Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

    This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

    This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

    This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

    So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

    "Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

    America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.



    A fresh start...



    A new beginning ..
    a new smile
    in this era of hope
    faith,love and joy
    reigns in the heart

    winter has ended
    spring will come
    birds will chirp
    color will be the star

    all should feel the energy burning
    gather the blessing in the air
    for forever bliss is near...