A GIRL SCOUT’S PRAYER

Almighty Father, hope of all the Earth, hear my

Humble prayer. You are my God, I thank you. My
God, I praise you. Grant that we may progress
today in your love as I do a good turn for others
and live the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Give me
the joy of your help that I may have the courage,
strength and grace to meet life’s challenges.
A pure heart create for me and pour out your
spirit on me that I may discover my fullest
potential so that I may be of service to you, to my
country and fellowmen for your greater glory.
Amen.

GIRL SCOUT
PROMISE AND LAW
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
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 living things.
A Girl Scouts is disciplined.
A Girl Scout is self-reliant.
A Girl Scout is thrifty.
A Girl Scout is clean in thought, word and deed.
GSP Motto “Be Prepared”
GSP Slogan “Do a good turn daily”
GSP Quote “Once a girl scout, always a girl scout”
GSP Mission “To help girls and young women realize the ideals of
womanhood and prepare themselves for the responsibility in the
home, the nation, and the world community.”
GSP Vision “Girls and young women who are progressive,
dynamic, pro-active, patriotic and God loving.”
Senior Girl Scout Pledge “My special responsibility as a Senior Girl
Scout is to render service by taking the promises out into a wider
world.”
Pledge of Allegiance “I pledge allegiance to the Philippine Flag and
to its Republic for which it stands a nation indivisible and dedicated
to the ideals of justice, liberty and democracy.”
Loyalty Pledge “If you work for a man in heaven’s name, work for
him, speak well of him, stand by the institution by which he
represents. Remember an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of
cleverness. If you must growl, condemn and eternally find fault why
resign your position. And when you’re on the outside, damn to your
heart’s content but as long as you are a part of the institution, do not
condemn it .For if you do the first high wind that comes along will
blow you away and probably you’ll never know why.”
 FOUNDER OF SCOUTING
Late Lieutenant General Lord Robert
Stephenson Smith Baden Powell
(Lord Baden Powell)

HISTORY IN
SCOUTING
The founder of scouting was born in Padington, London
on February 22,1857.

1876-he went to India as a young army officer and specialized in

scouting, map-making, and reconnaissance.
His success soon led to his training other soldiers. He used the same
method in Africa, where B-P’s scouting skills were put to the test. The
courage and resourcefulness shown by the boys in the corps of
messengers at Mafeking made a lasting impression on him. In turn, his
deeds made a lasting impression in England.

1907-he held an experimental camp on Brownsea Island,Poole,in Dorset

to try out his ideas in Scouting.He brought together 22 boys,some from
private schools and some from working class homes and took them
camping under his leadership.

1909-at the Crystal Palace rally of the Boy Scouts in England,a group of
uniformed girls came out in the open and voiced their appeal to B-P to
form a similar movement for girls.B-P gave in to their Clamor.He
requested her sister,Agnes Baden-Powell to help him start a movement
for girls.The girls were called “Guides” and they accepted the feminine
adaptions.
MAY 1990-Agnes became the first president of the Girl Guides

1990-B-P retired from the army at the age of 53, on the advice of King
Edward VII who suggested that he could now perform greater and more
valuable service for his country within the Scout movement

1912- Lady Olave St. Clair Soames (born in 1899) came quietly into the
movement when she met B-P and married him. Coincidentally, they
were born on the same day, February 22.That day is celebrated
throughout the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting as World Thinking Day.

1911- Juliette Gordon Low met B-P in England and she was impressed
by what he had been doing in the scouting movement. Juliette realized
that the young women in the US were missing a wonderful opportunity.
She promptly returned home to Savannah where she called a friend
saying, “Come right over. I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah
and all America and the entire world, and we’re going to start it
tonight”

MARCH 12, 1912-first troop meeting of GS in the US was held in

Savannah .Juliette’s girls contributed much to the war effort in their
community

Because of the historical and political links of the Philippines with the
US, from the beginning of the 20th Century, Scouting found its way to
Philippine shore very easily.

1917-there were troops organized by American Army and Navy families

in various parts of the Philippines.
1918-Rose Troop on Davao
1926- in Capiz
1928- in Mountain Province

Several are organized by missionaries

Josefa Llanes Escoda

1925-studied in the US for her Master’s degree in Social work from

Columbia University
1933-returned to the US to undergo training in Girl Scouting

Her trip was sponsored by Joseph E. Stevenot of the BSP,General

Vicente Lim and his wife Mrs.Pilar Hidalgo Lim,who was then
President of the National Federationof Women’s Clubs and an active
supporter of women’s suffrage.

Mrs. Pilar Hidalgo Lim inspired the foundation of the GSP .Upon her
return to the Philippines,Josefa Llanes Escoda immediately started to set
up the GSP with the help of other civic organizations and civic leaders
notably Mrs Pilar Hidalgo Lim

MAY 26,1940- President Manuel L. Quezon signed the charter of the

Girl Scouts of the Philippines under commonwealth Act. No. 542.Josefa
became the first National Executive of the GSP
GSP was barely two years old when it had to stop formal operations
because World War II broke out in 1942.During the war,GSP continued
its service to a nation in travail.
Women Leaders and volunteers with Escoda conveyed messages of
families to the war prisoners. Compiled the names and addresses of
Filipino prisoners-of-war who were confined at Camp O’Donnell in
Capas, Tarlac and collected:
1. Food
2. Medicine
 3. used clothing
4. old leather shoes
5. coconut shells to be used as plates
Later,when the situation in the city worsened,Josef and her
husband,Antonio Escoda,who was a journalist,together with their
formidable teams of volunteers came up with community kitchens in
different districts and served rice and monggo bean soap to the:
1. poor
2. hungry
3. jobless residents
1944- the heroic underground work of Mr. and Mrs. Escoda led to their
arrest,they were executed in a concentration camp,but up to now the
remains of them have not been found.

Hon.Senator Helena Z. Benitez was the chairman of the first GSP

Central Committee,She recalled the war years in this manner:
“As chairman of the emergency volunteers social aid committee (VSAC),
together with some GSP Central Committee members, the Chaplains,
Aides, and Junior League Presidents,we worked closely with Tony and
Josefa in the grim and critical mission of bringing succor and relief to
Death March prisoners in San Fernando and in Capas.This brief
episode in the life of the GSP Founder must not be overlooked nor left
untold”

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.

1948- the GSP became a full member of WAGGGS during the 12th
world conference at Cooperstown,New York.

1965- to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the GSP,special events and

service projects were calendared year around.
DECEMBER 1965- The world chief guide,Lady Olave Baden Powell
arrived in Manila and was saluted by more than five thousand Girl
Scouts at the Pasasalamat held at the Luneta Park

1965- the GSP was presented the Walter Donald Ross Trophy Award for
its outstanding service project rendered to the children of evacuees who
were victims of the eruption of Taal Volcano.

MARCH 17,1976- the new GSP Constitution and By-Laws were

ratified and confirmed

APRIL 20,2009- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law

Republic Act Number 100731,now known as “The Girl Scouts of the
Philippins Charter of 2009”

JUNE 2,1975-Presidential Degree 720 was signed,authorizing the

restructuring of the GSP.

Ten Million girls and young women in 145 countries worldwide make
up the WAGGGS.The Philippines belongs to the WAGGGS-Asia
Pacific Region.It has been active member of the region from the
beginning.It enjoys a high level of recognition within the region and
contributes much to the strengthening and dynamism of the movement.