26 May 2016 – Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and Philippine Consul General to Los Angeles Leo M. Herrera-Lim attended the launching of the search for the next 10 FYLPRO delegates for 2016 at the Los Angeles City Hall Tom Bradley Tower on May 18.
Filipino-American Youth Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is a grant-based leadership program started by Ambassador Cuisia in 2012 that annually identifies 10 Filipino-American young leaders to join a context-based, week-long networking program with top government, business and civil society leaders in the Philippines. Now on its 5th year, FYLPRO alumni are now taking on leadership roles to conduct the search for the next batch of FYLPRO delegates. For this purpose, they have formed a 501-c-3 organization and have signed a three-year partnership agreement with the Philippine Embassy and the Ayala Foundation, Inc. The partnership was also formalized during the launch.
Consul General Herrera-Lim said, “Participants in the FYLPRO have been amongst the best of the Filipinos I have seen in the US. Beyond the deep talents and leadership they possess, they have well-grounded passion for the community and their respective advocacies. Indeed, if there is one thing that FYLPRO can prove, it is that better days are ahead for our community.”
Ambassador Cuisia noted that FYLPRO is one of the most worthwhile aspects of his deployment in the United States for it identifies young leaders that are not only well-respected and admired in the U.S. but also proud of their heritage.
During the event, both Ambassador Cuisia and Consul General Herrera-Lim were honored by the City, represented by Commissioner Joel Jacinto, himself a grassroots leader of the Filipino community.
Several FYLPRO alumni flew in from across the U.S., including Bea Rico of Seattle, Washington; JR Calanoc of San Francisco; Kit Zulueta of Hawaii; Jessica Caloza; Anna Marie Cruz; Julien Baburka of Chicago; Ryyn Schumacher, Alex De Ocampo, and Jason Tengco of Washington, D.C. to take part in the event and to share with prospective applicants and the community their immersion experience and their major takeaway from the program.
The deadline for submission of completed applications is midnight of July 24 (Hawaii Standard Time). Those interested may go directly to http://fylpro.org/apply/. END
