Citizenship sans Frontiers
By Phoebe Ysabelle O. De Leon

“When you dream, dream big—but do not forget to include the Philippines in it.”—Commission on Filipino Overseas Undersecretary Astravel P. Naik

7, 641 islands, 18 regions, and 81 provinces. Hundreds of years of illustrious history. Hailed as the Pearl of the Orient and Asia’s melting pot, the Philippine archipelago is home to a people so culturally diverse yet unified by the selfsame genealogy and identity; a people whose hearts are enkindled by the same patriotism, whose souls reverberate with their primogenitors’ gallantry—the Filipino. Lauded for their congeniality, modern times have witnessed the Filipino bring their homes beyond the confines of their territory. This has made chancing upon a land left unwalked and waters left uncharted by the Filipino quite a rarity. The influx of nationals—the Filipino included—in countries other than their own to author their own circumstances and seek greener pastures gave rise to the term third culture: the in-betweenness and simultaneous belonging and unbelonging, much like Schrodinger’s cat that was both dead and alive.

Implemented on the year 1983, the Youth Leaders in the Diaspora (YouLeaD) experience traces its roots to the Lakbay-Aral program, a cultural immersion prioritizing overseas Filipino youth who’ve little to no knowledge of their home culture. Built upon four core objectives, YouLeaD aims to further the understanding and appreciation of Filipino youth for their culture and heritage; to expose the delegates to the rudiments of good governance and leadership essential to the growth of Filipino societies; to integrate volunteerism and social responsibility upon the minds of the youth; and to promote the inclusion of overseas youth in the Diaspora to Development. In its 2018 implementation spearheaded by CFO officials Ms. Mayumi Peralta, Ms. Patricia Salvador, and Ms. Patricia Batac, YouLeaD amassed a total of nine delegates—four from the Philippine School in Greece and five from The New Kuwait-Philippines International School. This year’s set itinerary running from June 18 to 22 brought the delegates to Bulacan, Zambales, and Manila with the key destinations being GK Enchanted Farm, Sitio Yangil, and Intramuros.

SOWING BAYANIHAN AND REAPING PROGRESS IN GAWAD KALINGA’S ENCHANTED FARM.  How many times do you need a doctor? A lawyer? What about a farmer? These were the words of Kuya JP, a graduate of Gawad Kalinga’s School for Experiental and Entrepreneurial Development—the world’s first farm village university.  Founded on 2011 as part of the NGO’s GK 777 Development Program, GK Enchanted Farm serves as a hub for social entrepreneurship, local agricultural growth, and inclusive wealth in the countryside. With a diverse community of both natives and foreigners, the farm has been able to market several social enterprises such as Human Nature, Bayani Brew, and Karabella among others; and build sustainable communities for the less fortunate.

The YouLeaD delegates were walked through sections of the farm and were introduced to the industries that were blossoming within the farm. The delegates learnt of the circumstances propelling GK’s social entrepreneurs. With the average age of Filipino farmers approaching 60, it is imperative that younger generations engage themselves in agriculture; after all, the Philippines is an agricultural country. Aside from fulfilling its central aims, the farm is also a great way of reeling in society’s efforts for unified progress. All the while aiding the less fortunate people of today, Gawad Kalinga builds a sustainable future for our country.

ADVENTURES THAT MATTER WITH MAD TRAVEL. Several hours away from GK Enchanted Farm lies YouLeaD’s next destination: San Felipe, Zambales. Following an exhausting drive across municipalities, the delegates were accommodated by The Circle Hostel, a chain of eco-friendly hostels with locations in Zambales, Baler, and La Union. Here, they believe that there are no strangers—only friends you haven’t met; and true enough, the delegates, as awkward acquaintances can be at first, developed a fully blossomed friendship in this very hostel. Despite the hostel not conforming to the mainstream airconditioned and walled accommodations the common folk are accustomed to, The Circle felt like a home away from home and a perfect escape from the bustling city life.

The following morning, the delegates, led by Ms. Sophie from MAD Travel, embarked on a Tribes and Treks tour. Make A Difference Travel is one of The Circle Hostel’s partners in promoting sustainable social tourism that brings about positive change to communities like the Aetas of Yangil. Upon reaching the jump-off point, the delegates were then led by Chieftain Gabriel to his village. The journey was long, and the sun scorched the soil beneath our feet. With an estimated seven kilometers’ distance to the village, the delegates were given a chance to replenish their energy by the riverbank halfway through. Ms. Sophie took this opportunity to elaborate on MAD Travel’s advocacy and how communities like Yangil benefit from this.

It is often said that it’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. With MAD Travel, however, both the journey and the destination proved to be an adventure. Upon arrival, the community wholeheartedly welcomed its guests and offered refreshments. The children were quite hesitant to interact, but soon gave in to the call of friendship. Following a three-hour seed planting activity, the delegates had amassed an estimated 500 planting bags ready to be placed in the village nursery. By noontime, a hefty luncheon awaited the delegates on the table. Generosity and hospitality—these values lie at the core of our identity, and the people of Yangil proved to be worthy epitomes of the Filipino. Aside from the food, the community also shared their expertise in archery and the wonders and beauty of their culture. The delegates were taught how to handle the Aetas’ traditional bow and arrow and were entertained with the Talipi dance and Lolo Doyong’s flute. Our stay came to an end as grey clouds blanketed the skies overhead just minutes after we gifted school books to the children. Though we came back to the hostel shivering in our damp clothes, our hearts were undoubtedly warmed by the smiles and hospitality of Yangil village.

REVISITING HERITAGE WITH BAMBIKE ECOTOURS. Last in the YouLeaD itinerary was a bambike tour around the walled city of Intramuros. Bambike Revolution Cycles is a social enterprise launched by Filipino-American Bryan McClelland in coordination with Gawad Kalinga. Their main headquarters is located in Intramuros where they provide bike rentals and guided tours of the walled city. Like many social enterprises, Bambike focuses on promoting social progress thus, they take their Bambuilders from Gawad Kalinga’s communities and manufacture their products with sustainability in mind. The guided tours encompass historical sites such as Fort Santiago and Puerta del Parian. The delegates were enriched with bits and pieces of history relevant to the destinations of the tour by the assigned guide, Ate Krizyl. The skies threatened to unleash its rain, but fortunately, all that reached the asphalt was drizzle. The rest of the day was sunny and clear, optimal for cruising through the streets of Intramuros.

The five-day YouLeaD experience came to its end after a brief closing ceremony in the CFO building in Manila. Tears were shed as the delegates and their mentors reminisced on the memories they’ve made. Anthony Carbonel, a delegate from Greece, previously noted in his speech that he thought that the YouLeaD experience would be limited to lectures given by people from different walks of life, which was not the case at all. Like it was with him, the YouLeaD experience exceeded our expectations and created for us unforgettable memories and stories to be passed on.

A writer’s prowess is determined by how they bring to life the stories offered by the cosmos, by how they weave words into pictures in our minds. The most genius of writers can conjure limitless universes on a plane of pen and paper, but I believe that this experience goes beyond what one can articulate into words. The YouLeaD experience not only gave us a chance to help those below the reaches of our privilege, but also gave us a foundation from which we could build better versions of ourselves. Indeed, the first will never happen twice and I, Phoebe De Leon, am truly honored and blessed to have been part of an adventure that mattered.