WEF names nine Young Global Shapers
MANILA, Philippines - Nine young change makers from the Philippines have a chance to improve the world on a wider platform, and on a global scale since they were chosen by the World Economic Forum as Young Global Shapers of the Philippines.
The World Economic Forum is an independent, international organization whose mission is to improve the state of the world by engaging leaders from the business, political and academic arenas to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Having been named by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader last 2010, news reporter Karen Davila has been tasked to initiate, form and introduce WEF’s newest project to the Philippines: The Young Global Shapers Community.
The Global Shaper Community is present in every city of the world, where twenty-something young professionals who have moral excellence, integrity and professional excellence along with project accomplishments, which brought a positive impact in the community, have been nominated and selected by the leaders of the non-profit institution based in Geneva, Switzerland.
At a cocktail reception at the Ayala Museum last Jan. 13 the WEF Global Leaders shared stories of these soul-searchers and active doers who are changing the world, starting from their own little worlds.
“I feel very proud as a Filipino to be able to showcase and show the world that we have great, talented, excellent young Filipino leaders are potential future Global Leaders,” said Karen Davila. “I want the world to see that, even if we are a developing nation, we have young people that are very talented that are serious advocates, that are very passionate and driven to make a difference in the world we live in.”
The nine Young Global Shapers from the Philippines are Maria Carmela Alvarez, who, at 24, is the youngest mayor in the Philippines. After taking her master’s degree in Massachusetts, and giving up an opportunity to work at Chanel, she is currently developing social initiatives and environmentally sound developments in her town of San Vicente, Palawan. Jay Michael Jaboneta, who is the designated Young Global Shapers team leader, started the Yellow Boat Project, which gives boats to communities where children swam to school. He was the first and former new media head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office under President Benigno S. Aquino III. Anna Oposa, 23, co-founded the Save Philippine Seas movement to protect the world’s richest marine life, and Isko Cleans UP, a waste management program in her university. Ponce Samaniego, 21, is a co-founder and CEO of Outliers, a social enterprise that serves as an outsourced business expertise for nonprofit organizations. He co-founded Outliers in his senior year at UP Diliman, and is now supported by the Starbucks Foundation and the Global Changemakers Program, among others. Mildred Ople, 25, is a leading advocate of countryside development through the adoption of innovative agricultural technology with profitable business concepts and ideas.
Eleanor Pinugu, 26, is the founder of Mano Amiga Academy Inc., a non-profit school that provides underprivileged Filipino children access to 14 years of high quality education (kindergarten to 12th grade), plus all other support they need to have a better life. After two years of raising funds for the students’ scholarships through private donations and corporate partnerships, Eleanor decided to establish a social enterprise that would generate a steady income for Mano Amiga, and at the same time give employment opportunities to the mothers of the students. Dr. Bryan Albert Lim, 27, is a practicing general physician in San Pablo Laguna. He is a program consultant of the Asian Institute of Management Zuellig Center for Asian Business Transformation, a Research Associate of the UP Universal Health Care Study Group, and the proponent of the Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health, and serves as adviser in various health-related projects. Bianca Gonzalez, who is a TV host for 5 Philippine TV shows, was recently appointed as Special Advocate for Children for UNICEF Philippines. Alexandra Amanda Eduque, 21, is the Habitat for Humanity Philippines Youth Council Founder, Chairperson and Ambassador. Taking up Urban Studies with a focus on Political Science at Columbia University, Alex is heavily involved in the strategy and sustainability of Habitat for Humanity, Philippines. She has been working with the organization since she was 16, and in 2010 started the Habitat for Humanity Youth Movement that involves thousands of Filipino youth in fundraising and building housing. Habitat recently launched the Alex Eduque Legacy program, which aims to find and foster 200 young leaders like Alex towards supporting Habitat for Humanity and reaching their own leadership potential.
WEF invited three of them to speak at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos last Jan. 25 to 29. Anna Oposa, Carmela Alvarez and Lyn Pinugu traveled with their mentor and organizer, Karen Davila, who is also an Ambassador for World Vision and Habitat for Humanity, and was assigned by the WEF to be the curator, mentor and lead organizer for the Manila hub.
