8 July 2013 - Delegates of the 2nd Filipino-American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPro) visited the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) today and called on Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs (ASFA) Laura Q. del Rosario as part of their program.
ASFA del Rosario, who is also the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, welcomed the FYLPRo participants to the Philippines. She highlighted the shared values of democracy and freedom between the Philippines and the US. She further emphasized that, for the Philippines, the third most important value is social justice. “We realize that we cannot have social justice without the rule of law,” she said.
Also present during the call were DFA Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Carlos D. Sorreta, DFA Spokesperson Raul S. Hernandez, Philippine Consul General to Los Angeles Ma. Hellen M. Barber-De la Vega, Philippine Consul General to New York Mario L. De Leon, Jr., and Ayala Foundation President Luli Heras de Leon.
During the call, Nico Barawid, one of the FYLPro participants from Memphis, Tennesse, expressed the group’s appreciation for the opportunity given to them to learn more about the Philippines considering the shared democratic tradition between the Philippines and the US.
Following the call on ASFA del Rosario today, the delegates had a roundtable discussion with officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and Department of Education (DepEd).
The delegates were also introduced to the members of the Philippine media in a press briefing at the DFA Press Room before noon.
This afternoon, the delegates will have a dialogue with Senators Chiz Escudero and Teofisto Guingona, III, a visit to the Cultural Center of the Philippines and a call on Vice President Jejomar Binay.
The 2nd FYLPro builds on the success of the first program organized in 2012 spearheaded by Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. with the support of the Consuls General throughout the United States and the Office of American Affairs of the DFA.
The program was also made possible with the partnership between the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC and the Ayala Foundation and the support of The Filipino Channel in the United States.
The Program aims to tap the potential of young Filipino-American leaders in advancing the interests of the Philippines in the United States and further engaging the Filipino community.
The corporate sponsors of the FYLPro include Chevron, Ayala Corporation, SGV, Plantersbank, Philam Life, The Phinma Foundation and CLSA Exchange Capital. END