Creating an ocean of change with PH’s Young Global Leaders

Ezra Ferraz

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Creating an ocean of change with PH’s Young Global Leaders
The World Economic Forum recently named 4 Filipinos to their Young Global Leaders group: Earl Valencia, Doris Dumlao, Julia Abad, and Ayesha Vera-Yu.

MANILA, Philippines – The motto of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is “entrepreneurship in the global public interest,” and its recent efforts and initiatives in the Philippines are showing just that. (READ: FAST FACTS: The World Economic Forum)

WEF recently named 4 Filipinos to their Young Global Leaders (YGLs) group: Earl Valencia, Doris Dumlao, Julia Abad, and Ayesha Vera-Yu. The 4 are leaders who “belong to the under-40 age bracket and who have demonstrated a unique commitment to serving society and the global community at large.”

They will play a key role in the upcoming World Economic Forum on East Asia (WEF-EA) in Cebu and Manila (May 21 – 23) and the Open Collaboration with East Asia New Champions (OCEAN) in Cebu (May 23 – 25).

Together they join a “community of more than 900 people comprised of the ‘world’s most outstanding next-generation leaders.’” Each brings with them a track record of extraordinary success in their given fields:

Earl Valencia co-founded IdeaSpace Foundation and serves as its president. IdeaSpace incubates startups in the tech space, including OrangeApps and ZipMatch.

Doris Dumlao works as a senior business reporter at The Philippine Daily Inquirer, whose advocacies include “good governance, transparency, and financial literacy.” These interests led her to co-founding Journalists United Under Transparency, Accountability, and Good Governance (JUST).

Julia Abad graduated from Harvard Kennedy School and serves as the Secretary of the Presidential Management Staff, which is “the primary government agency that provides staff support to the President of the Republic of the Philippines.”

Ayesha Vera-Yu has an MBA from Columbia University and co-founded Advancement for Rural Kids (ARK) for which she serves as CEO. ARK is dedicated to “empower[ing] farmers in the developing world to feed and keep their kids in school.”

Together, these 4 Young Global Leaders will converge at the Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island, Cebu from May 23 to May 25 to host the “Open Collaboration with East Asia New Champions” (OCEAN) with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).

The event will be co-hosted with other notable groups such as the Schwab Social Entrepreneurs, Global Growth Companies, and Global Shapers. The latter group counts among its notable members as Bianca Gonzales (host, model, and writer), Anna Oposa (advocate for Save Philippine Seas), Kathleen Largo (brand cultivator of Homegrown.ph), Noreen Bautista (developer at Institute for Social Enterprise and Development), and Cherrie Atilano (founder of Farm Village University).

That the summit will feature such a diverse group of Philippine leaders thrills Young Global Leader Doris Dumlao. As a senior business reporter at The Philippine Daily Inquirer, she knows how much dialogue can be the first step toward meaningful change.

Dumlao said, “The Philippines’ hosting of the East Asia Summit for the first time in the World Economic Forum’s 40-year history is an opportune time for the Forum of Young Global Leaders to get together with local leaders and take to the grassroots level all the conversations on hot themes like equitable progress, sustainability, human capital, and regional connectivity.”

She continued, “With the OCEAN 2014 Summit, we hope to do our modest share in encouraging innovation and creating opportunities for future partnerships and collaborations.”

OCEAN Summit chair, Winston Damarillo is confident that the new group of Young Global Leaders will have plenty to bring to the table. He does not make this assessment lightly, either – Damarillo is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and the current managing director of Amihan Global Strategies.

Damarillo said, “It’s always exciting whenever new Young Global Leaders become active participants of the World Economic Forum as they are able to provide fresh perspective on how things are currently done and encourage the exchange of new insights. I am confident that Earl, Doris, Julia and Ayesha are more than capable of taking on this role and do the Philippines proud in the upcoming summit.”

Damarillo is not alone in his assessment. Many businessmen, entrepreneurs, and social entrepreneurs view these two events as a milestone for the Philippines. These events, for example, has notable symbolic value: It signifies the Philippines’ arrival as a major player in the world economy.

Furniture designer, Kenneth Cobonpue, for example, believes “that the country’s hosting of the WEF-EA is a landmark event that showcases not just the country’s economic success but the factors that lead to it—an empowered citizenry, a committed government, and a growing confidence from investors and the international community.”

Yet the two events hold more than just symbolic value. Many people, such as Senator Bam Aquino, who is a YGL alumnus, believes they will translate into direct economic opportunities for Filipinos, particularly those who are involved in social entrepreneurship.

Aquino, who has helped set up the Hapinoy Program and the Rags to Riches brand, thinks that “the international event would open opportunities for social enterprises in the country.”

The senator said, “We have not only the most beautiful beaches but also a really good economic growth that benefits investments. We’re a country that can compete with countries all over the world.”

People interested in contributing to the summit are – in the spirit of fruitful dialogue on the issues most affecting southeast Asia – encouraged to participate. They can go to www.Ocean14.asia for more information, email pbelen@agsx.net, or call +63917 – 418 – 3677. – Rappler.com

 

The Philippines is hosting the World Economic Forum on East Asia from May 21 to 23, 2014 at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. For updates about the forum, visit Rappler’s microsite.

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