A public school teacher in Negros Oriental will lead a delegation of Philippine Youth Ambassadors in an outreach program for the typhoon-stricken areas in Iligan City on April 9-14.
Adolf Aguilar, division ICT coordinator of the Department of Education in Negros Oriental who led the Philippine delegation in the 38th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program last year, said the Youth Ambassadors will conduct the program, titled Project Bayanihan as its post-program activity.
This is based on the unique Filipino culture where families help each other in reaching a common goal, Aguilar said.
PintigPinoy, as their group is called, will serve as a partner to Gawad Kalinga by providing a pool of volunteers for their annual house building activity called Bayani Challenge and by serving as facilitators in the non-formal educational sessions in the Gawad Kalinga Village.
PintigPinoy also envisions Project Bayanihan as a long-term and sustainable project. They intend to replicate the project in their respective regions in cooperation with other non-government organizations, local government units as well as the private sector.
SSEAYP is a diplomatic and cultural exchange program among emerging youth leaders in Japan and Southeast Asia sponsored by the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. This program aimed to promote and strengthen friendship and cultural understanding in the Japan-ASEAN region.
The 27 participating youth joined more than 300 delegates from Oct. 26 to Dec. 16 last year in different activities on board M/S Fuji Maru as well as in the six ports of call: Japan, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam (Muara), Indonesia (Jakarta), Malaysia (Port Klang), and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh).
During ports of call, the delegates interacted with the local youth and stayed with foster families through the homestay program. They also paid courtesy calls on dignitaries and did institutional visits to learn more about the best practices, cultures and traditions of Japan and Southeast Asia.
Applications to the 39th SSEAYP are open until April 13, 2012. Interested youth may visit www.sseayp-philippines.com. (PR)
