20 November 2014 - Three months after returning from their Filipino-American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPRO) in the Philippines, New York delegates Adette Contreras and Ryan Letada shared their experiences to the Filipino-American youth sector during an Immersion Philippine-themed Town Hall at the Gallery Lobby of the Philippine Center last November 13.
Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon expressed his enthusiasm in welcoming back the delegates and opening the conversation with the second-generation and young Filipino-Americans in the audience on opportunities to look back and give back to the Philippines.
Ryan Letada was first to speak about his FYLPRO experience, and focused his takeaway from the program on tech developments and the prospects of startup companies in the Philippines. Ryan, who was just in Manila a week prior to the event, also declared that the Philippines is rife with talented and innovative minds for creative, communication, social media and technology enterprises. As his post-FYLPRO legacy project, Ryan announced that his Filipino speaker series cum culture platform, Next Day Better, will launch in Manila in November 2015.
Adette Contreras’ testimonial was a more personal retelling of her family’s immigrant story, how she moved to the US at 11 years old and always wanting to give back to the Philippines once she finished school. She considers her FYLPRO trip life changing and encouraged the audience to apply for the program and avail of it while they can. An advertising and design professional, Adette touched base with artisans in the Philippines during her stay and is planning to promote Philippine indigenous art in the US as her post-FYLPRO legacy project.
To give the participants a briefer on one of the organizing partners, the program featured a short video from Ayala Foundation directors Luli De Leon and JQ Quesada, who talked about their social entrepreneurship projects in the Philippines.
A different take on immersion in the Philippines was shared by Federal District Law Clerk to Judge Lorna Schoefiled, Chris Lapinig, who spent nine months in the Philippines as a Fullbright scholar in 2010. His cultural experience and discoveries were heavily based on his time as a language trainer at a call center in the Philippines. Chris recounted some humorous and personal exchanges between the people he met during his stay in the homeland. He credits his Fullbright immersion in the Philippines an experience that enhanced his social skills and empathy that he finds useful in his law career.
At the end of the evening, the participants had time network among each other to learn about other avenues to explore on volunteer programs available in the Philippines. Such other prospects include Teach for the Philippines, brainchild of FYLPRO alum Michael Vea, derived from the Teach for America, a non-profit organization that works to provide all children inclusive education by enlisting volunteer teachers and staff from America to transform leaders into lifelong advocates for educational equity; and Peace Corps, where more than 8,755 volunteers have served in the Philippines and worked in the areas of education, youth development and environment.
Launched in 2012 as part of Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia’s advocacy to reach out to the youth, the FYLPRO initiative aims to tap outstanding young Filipino Americans who possess a sincere desire to be engaged in their respective communities and promote the Philippines’ further development. The immersive program affords them the opportunity to meet and dialogue with the highest officials and policymakers in the Philippines, leaders of industry, legislators, media, artists and cultural experts, entrepreneurs, both traditional and social, as well as innovators in different fields. END