Asia America Initiative Director Al Santoli returned to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippines in March, 2007 to further health, education and livelihood programs through the Development for Peace in Sulu (DPIS) project. Escalating military campaigns backed by the US military have created more than 52,000 displaced persons in the surrounding area. The fragile peace built through the hope in the DPIS area continues to hold. AAI, supported by university students in Manila, assisted local community leaders in providing relief for between 140 and 200 displaced families sheltered at Kasambuhan Village Elementary, AAI's first Peace Zone school. Despite growing antipathy toward US military support for disruptive counter-terror operations, the DPIS program, nearing its fifth anniversary, maintains a strong relationship with the local community in the volatile southernmost region of the Philippines, near Indonesia and Malaysia.

Asia America Initiative Director Al Santoli returned to the Autonomous Muslim region of the Philippines in March, 2007 to further integration of livelihood programs with education through AAI's innovative Development for Peace in Sulu (DPIS) project. The Hope created by the program, nearing its fifth anniversary, is credited with assisting the local community in building and holding peace in the volatile southernmost region of the Philippines, near Indonesia and Malaysia. Peace continues to hold in the DPIS project areas despite heavy military activity by US-trained Philippine forces in the surrounding area.

As a repercussion, AAI assisted local community leaders in providing relief for between 140 and 200 displaced families temporarily sheltered at Kasambuhan Village elementary, AAI's first Peace Zone school. Food and children's clothing was donated through AAI by students from Catholic universities in Manila. To relieve the suffering the Sulu war zone, Ms. Sumndad and Sheena Acero organized music and arts projects and benefits, such as "Play for Peace" a benefit battle of the bands in Manila. Dole Fruit Company is also assisting AAI projects with a "Peace-O" program, that places donation cans decorated with AAI and Dole logos in supermarkets and restaurants.

Mr. Santoli and Philippines Program Coordinator, Ms. Rohaniza Sumndad, carried a substantial amount of medicines donated by U.S. -based MedPharm, Inc. and assisted by Northwest Airlines and the Franklin Family Fund for the Sulu Regional Hospital and AAI's Model of Excellence [MOE] Schools. The AAI team attended graduation and end of school year recognition ceremonies at Mohammad Tulawie Central Elementary School, which finished first among 93 regional elementary schools in overall academic performance. The 2006-2007 school year showed overall excellent academic performance by AAI-supported schools. The first Peace Zone school in Kasambuhan Village, near where Mr. Santoli was threatened by Abu Sayyaf terrorists in 2005, now ranks 2nd in regional Math performance. And Kawmpang Elementary School, which still endures some semi-outdoor classroom facilities, came in third in the region in overall academic subject performance.

The AAI's expanded Community Service College Scholarship program now includes teaching, agriculture and nursing students at Sulu State College. The first graduate of Notre Dame College of Jolo qualified for a professional midwife exam. And both the Fisheries High School and Fisheries College at Mindanao State University expanded successful livelihood programs which help to bring income to their underfunded schools. Related livelihood activities include local fishermen and family seaweed farmers being coordinated into cooperatives by AAI scholarship students at the Fisheries College of Mindanao State University in Jolo.