Press Release 02-2015

(15 January 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii) The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, together with the 6 other Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States, announced today the search for the fourth batch of delegates for the annual Filipino American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPro).

The brainchild of Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., the FYLPro was launched in 2012 as part of his advocacy to reach out to the youth and encourage them to actively engage in their own communities and, at the same time, promote Philippines development.

“We are giving young Filipino-American leaders the opportunity to have a better appreciation and understanding of the land where their parents came from, and in doing so, we hope to inspire them to be stronger advocates for the Philippines and the Filipino-American community in the United States,” Ambassador Cuisia, Jr. said.

Thirty promising Filipino-American youth leaders, including 3 from Hawaii, Ms. Kit Zulueta (2012), Mr. Randy Cortez (2013) and Mr. Mike Dahilig (2014), have participated in the immersion program that includes meetings with top government, business and civil society leaders and visits to local communities.

Previous FYLPro delegates were able to undertake political advocacy initiatives, cultural and tourism promotion programs, social entrepreneurship activities, education innovations, Filipino-American heritage projects, voter awareness and education, and even political campaigns upon their return to the US.

The previous delegates are now focused on mentoring the incoming batch and undertaking concrete projects that would ensure the batch’s legacy.

The program is open to individuals who meet the following criteria:

1. No younger than 25 years old and no older than 40 years old by 02 July 2015;
2. Ready and capable of travelling to the Philippines to participate in the 4^th FYLPro and the 10^th Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) on 02-04 July and 06-09 July 2015, respectively;
3. Have potential or demonstrated leadership skills within their school, community, workplace or other area of involvement, and
4. Have potential or demonstrated involvement in the Filipino-American Community, or in issues and/or activities that align with the interest of the Filipino American community or the Philippines.

Interested individuals may download the application form from http://philippinessanfrancisco.org/uploads/FYLPro%202015/FYLPRO%20Revised%202015%20Application%20SFPCG%20Comments%20FINAL.docx

Applications and documentary requirements should be submitted to the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu via mail (2433 Pali Highway, Honolulu, HI 96817) or email [email protected] no later than 30 March 2015.

The names of the 10 chosen delegates for this year’s FYLPRO will be announced on 30 April 2015. (END).