Filipino Young Leaders Program Signature Immersion Trip Returns After Two Year Hiatus Due to Pandemic
/The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) signature immersion program made its return to the Philippines after a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic in late November.
The trip comes as FYLPRO, a joint initiative of the Philippine Embassy, Consulates General in the United States, and the Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI), celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.
Photo Credit: FYLPRO
The 15-person 2022 cohort includes a five-time Hugo Award winner, an administrative judge, emergency room physician and Emmy award winning documentary filmmaker. They now join 84 FYLPRO alumni who have gone through the immersion program.
The 2022 FYLPRO Delegation included:
Michelle Amor - New York, New York
Grace Arupo Rodriguez - Roseville, California
Joshua De Leon - Long Beach, California
Daniel Galeon - Montvale, New Jersey
Genevieve Jopanda - San Francisco, California
Michele Josue - Glendale, California
Agnes Lopez - Jacksonville, Florida
Angelo Mathay - Raleigh, North Carolina
Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos - Sicklerville, New Jersey
Constancio Paranal III - Honolulu, Hawaii
Melissa (Michi) Trota - Chicago, Illinois
Danicole Ramos - Waialua, Hawaii
Angelico Razon - Pasadena, California
John Victoria - Arlington, Virginia
Neil Wingkun - Houston, Texas
This year’s cohort includes new regions represented with delegates from Raleigh, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida. It is the first year the FYLPRO immersion cohort included delegates over the age 40 after the age eligibility was raised to 45.
The delegates traveled to the Philippines the week of November 20-25 for a week-long immersion trip.
Their immersion trip kicked off with a walking food tour of Binodo and a visit to the Ayala Museum.
Photo Credit: FYLPRO
The delegates also met with the U.S. Ambassador of the Philippines MaryKay Loss Carlson and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff in a special reception with Fulbright Philippines and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) alumni.
Photo Credit: FYLPRO
For a look at this year’s immersion program, view this video edited by 2022 Emmy Award Winning Director Michele Josue: https://youtu.be/HjJyi-pQmzo
This year’s trip marks the next evolution of the immersion program as FYLPRO works to illiterate and add more elements to the program’s offering to bridge, represent and discover.
“While the delegates only had only one week, it was filled with transformation moments that will last a lifetime,” said 2022 FYLPRO President Leezel Tanglao. “I look forward to seeing all the collaborations and great things to emerge from the delegation as this is only the beginning of their journeys to connect deeper to the community throughout the diaspora.
FYLPRO was established in 2012 by Former Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and Mrs. Victoria J. Cuisia in cooperation with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) to annually identify outstanding young professionals in the Filipino communities across the United States and provide the delegates with invaluable community, business, and government insights and access to distinguished network captains of industry and government.
About Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)
FILIPINO YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM (FYLPRO) is a network of high performing, next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries.
We continually expand the pipeline of Filipino young leaders in the diaspora. By connecting them to the motherland, we foster collaborative multinational relationships that create innovations and support the socio-economic progress of the global Filipino community.
For more information, visit fylpro.org.