The Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) is the national Girl Scouting association for girls and young women in the Philippines. Its mission is "to help girls and young women realize the ideals of womanhood and prepare themselves for their responsibilities in the home, to the nation, and to the world community". The first Girl Scout troops were organized in the Philippines as early as 1918 by Amer
ican missionaries and servicemen. These Scout troops were directly registered with the Girl Scouts of the USA. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim and Josefa Llanes Escoda spearheaded the organization of a Scout movement for girls, and requested the assistance of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP). In 1939, Mrs. Escoda was sent to the United States and Britain for training through the help of Joseph Stevenot of the BSP. Upon her return to the Philippines, she immediately started setting up the GSP with the help of other civic organizations. On May 26, 1940, the GSP was chartered under Philippine Commonwealth Act No. 542. In 1946, the GSP was accepted as a tenderfoot member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) during the 11th World Conference held at Evian, France. In 1948, the GSP became a full member of WAGGGS during the 12th World Conference held at Cooperstown, New York. Since 1995, the organization lost nearly half of its members; the membership number decreased from 1,275,113 in 1995 to 671,267 in 2003. Program:
The GSP's program focuses on "well-being, family life, heritage and citizenship, world community, preparedness, economic self-sufficiency, arts and environment". Center of the program is the "eight-point challenge", a merit-badge program. The highest award is the "Chief Girl Scout Medal" which was introduced in 1976. Sections:
The association is divided in five sections according to age:
Twinkler Scout - ages 4 to 6 (Pre-school)
Star Scout - ages 6 to 9 (Grades 1-3)
Junior Girl Scout - ages 9 to 12 (Grades 4-6)
Senior Girl Scout - ages 12 to 15 (Grades 7-10)
Cadet Girl Scout - ages 15 to 21 (Grades 11-12 and Colleges)
Scout Promise:
On my honor, I will do my duty:
to God and my country;
to help other people at all times;
and to live by the Girl Scout Law. Scout Law:
A Girl Scout's honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal. A Girl Scout is helpful. A Girl Scout is a friend to all and a sister to every other Girl Scout. A Girl Scout is courteous. A Girl Scout respects all living things. A Girl Scout is disciplined. A Girl Scout is self-reliant. A Girl Scout is thrifty. A Girl Scout is clean in thought, words, and deeds. The old emblem used until 2010 had features from the Flag of the Philippines. The current emblem only uses the 3 stars from it in a green trefoil.
