Philippine Dream Team

Philippine Dream Team: With the great leadership of Lucille Sering, the powerful and respected voice of Bernarditas Muller, the incredible guidance of Naderev Saño, the great mentorship of Tony la Vina, the unrelenting support of Segfredo Serrano, and the brilliance of each delegate in the Philippine team, it has been an honor to be part of the Philippine delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico last December.

To those who took the time to mentor the youth delegates, thank you for recognizing our work and giving us the opportunity to negotiate our future. We are all here today fighting for our lives. I would not want to be in this battle with anyone else other than the team I was with.


It was both a privilege and a great honor to have joined my country’s delegation at the UN Cancun Climate Talks. As youths, the future is ours. We are grateful that our country understands the importance of youth participation in international climate negotiations. After this opportunity, we aspire to make the necessary and dire change in our homefront.

"I have been in many Philippine delegations to climate change negotiations and this group is one of the strongest of the delegations I have worked with." - Dr./Atty. Tony La Vina, COP15 chief negotiator on the UN initiative known as “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)” and member of the official Philippine delegation.

Desiree Llanos Dee, Vivienne Zerrudo, Christopher Yu, Anna Oposa, and Esperanza Garcia; The youth delegates of the official Philippine delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun last December 10, 2010.

Inspiration of the day: 10 Youtube videos every entrepreneur must watch

For those of you who are interested in entrepreneurship & socially responsible business models, watch 10 Youtube videos every entrepreneur must watch compiled by Business Insider. One of the videos featured is of Nobel Laureate, Muhammad Yunus, talking about Grameen Bank's business model and the solutions to ending global poverty.

Muhammad Yunus asks, 'WHAT KIND OF WORLD IS THIS?" in his speech on "Creating a World Without Poverty" at the Commonwealth Club.

Muhammad Yunus: Creating a World Without Poverty

Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus runs one of the few socially responsible banks in the world: Grameen Bank, which provides small loans to poor people and entrepreneurs with no collateral to help them become financially self-sufficient.

Climate Heroes of 2010

Senator Legarda awarding the Climate Heroes of 2010

In 2010,  Luntiang Pilipinas and PHILYCM (Philippine Youth Climate Movement)  travelled all over the Philippines to hold the "Climate Hero" forums to educate Philippine youth on Climate Change and award Climate Heroes. The young climate stewards were recognized for their efforts in making a difference in their communities and contributing to climate change solutions. Here's a list of some of our "Climate Heroes."




Mr. Elpidio Magante, President of Bohol State University
Mr. Emmanuel Albano, President UP-Ecological Society
Engr. Virginia dela Cerna, Academic Head, STI College, Lahug Cebu
Ms. Gemma Perez, Western Mindanao State University, NSTP Coordinator
Ms. Mark Popioco, President of Green Movement in WVSU/ Bayer Youth Awardee, West Visayas State University IloIlo
Ms. Rowena S. Cabahug, President, AMA Computer Learning Mandaue Cebu
Erwin C. Andaya, President of the Student Council, University of Cebu
Nelson Nadela, Teacher of Natural Science
Dr. Benny A. Palma, President of ASU, Aklan State University
Aren Rubin, Future Leaders of the Philippines, President, Aklan State University
Adam Jesus Bering, FCC-NSTP Coordinator, Filamer Christian College
CMSC Green Iskul (Nestor Necesito), UP Visayas Ilo-Ilo
Father Raul L. Buhay, Vice President for Administration
Aljoriz M. Dublin, Social Science Teacher (Recipient of Luntiang Pilipinas Seedling), University of Visayas
Francis Rey Padao, Faculty Member, University of the Immaculate Conception
Louis Quihada, SSG Vice President, Davao Oriental State College
Van Melchor Mariano, President, Environmental Alliance Club, Mati Polytechnic College

Esperanza Garcia awarding Climate Heroes Nestor Necesito & Mark Popoico of Western State University

This list was taken from Luntiang Pilipinas.

Vote Philippines for New 7 Wonder of the World

MORE INFO CLICK HERE

Text from DigitalInquirer.com

Found 50 kilometers from the northern city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, Puerto Princesa Underground River is among the elite 28 official finalists in search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

SPEECHES & EXPERIENCE

2011

FDU Global Affairs Guest Speaker Series, Keynote Speaker (Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey)
Annual Environmental Law and Justice Symposium, Closing Keynote Speaker (Florida A&M University, Orlando, Florida)
UNIPRO "Top 30 Filipinos under 30" p. 16 link (New York, New York)
Yale Summer "Green Engineering," Guest Speaker (Yale University)
UN High-Level Meeting on Youth (Workshop), Speaker (UN Headquaters, New York)

Pre-World Leadership Online Conference,  Keynote Speaker  (Singapore)

Unipro Summit , Speaker (New York, New York)

Ateneo University National Environmental Forum, Keynote Speaker (Manila, Philippines)

Annual Youth Assembly at the UN, Speaker, (UN Headquarters, New York)
Clinton Global Initiative, Journalist (New York, USA 2009 – 2011)

2009 - 2010

"Heroes of Today" Featured (Sweden 2010)

Climate Hero Forum, Speaker, Facilitator, Moderator (Philippines Apr - May '10)

United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention COP15 & COP16, 
Official delegate of the Philippines (Copenhagen, Denmark ’09 & Cancun, Mexico ‘10) 

Conference of Youth 5 & 6 , Speaker & Moderator (Copenhagen, Denmark ’09 & Cancun, Mexico '10)

RAFI Climate Change Forum, Keynote Speaker (Cebu, Philippines)
Earth Day Jam, Speaker (Manila, Philippines)

Annual Youth Assembly at the UN, FAF Youth Leadership Award, Moderator, Organizer

( 2008 - 2010 UN Headquarters, New York)

UNICEF/Oxfam, Youth Journalist & Blogger (New York, New York) 

The Global Summit, Scholar & Youth Chair (San Francisco, CA)

FAF Youth Leadership Award, Awardee (New York, New York)

FOR SPEAKING REQUESTS EMAIL: 
ecg5121@columbia.edu / esperanza@internationalyouthcouncil.com

Ban Ki Moon (left) and his wife (right) at the World Leaders Forum in Columbia University April 2012

Interview with Dr. Pachauri for the UN General Assembly at Yale University Aug '09.

Interview with Heather Graham at the Premiere of Age of Stupid
New York, New York. September '09.

UN Climate Change Conference, COP15. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dec '09

Climate Hero Forum
Jan - May '10

Earth Day Jam Concert, Manila, Philippines. April '10 

Moderating a panel with UN South African Ambassador Sangqu

UN Headquarters, August 2011

Receiving a recognition plaque from the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
Cebu, Philippines '10

Moderating a panel on Climate Change for the 7th Annual Youth Assembly
UN Headquarters, NYC. Aug '10.

RAFI Forum on Global Climate Politics. Cebu City, Philippines.
November '10

With Mary Robinson, the first woman President of Ireland, and my inspiration and dear friend, Constance Okollet, a farmer from the Tororo district in eastern Uganda - the real face of Climate Change at the Green Belt Movement and the Nobel Women's Initiative "Women's Leadership on Climate Justice and the Grassroots Perspective" (UN Climate Change Conference COP16 side event in Cancun, Mexico).

Interview with Ben Stiller, Clinton Global Initiative
Sept '10

World Climate Summit with President Calderon of Mexico. Cancun, Mexico.
Dec '10

Conference of Youth 6, Cancun, Mexico
Dec '10

8th Annual Youth Assembly at the UN, UN Headquarter, NY
Jan '11

Ateneo National Environmental Conference, 
Manila Philippines Jan '11

COP15 UN Climate Change Conference

Cancun, Mexico Dec '10 

Unipro Speech

Jun '11

My first intervention in international climate negotiations

COP15 UN Climate Change Conference

Cancun, Mexico Dec '10 

Interview with Thom Yorke of Radiohead at COP16 Copenhagen, Denmark Dec '09

PRESS

GMA News TOFA-NY honors 'brightest, most committed' Fil-Ams

October 2013

Financial Times, "Young Innovators Promote Charity and Creativity"

Jan 2014

My first Huffington Post article, "The World Cries with the Philippines"

November 2013

MSNBC interview, All in with Chris Hayes: The Broader Outlook for peril from storms

November 2013

Elle Magazine, Young Women Activists Band Together to Fight Typhoon Haiyan With 'Bundles of Joy', November 2013

Humaneity, a quarterly publication published in over 100 countries.
Interview begins in page 48 and can be found on this link. 

Världshorisont, a UN Swedish Magazine. On page 9  here. Download magazine here. May 2012

International Institute for Sustainable Development Coverage on NY+20 side-event at UN moderated by Esperanza Garcia. Read here. 
UN Headquarters, New York, April 2012

 Interview by South South News with Ambassador Jean-Francis R. Zinsou of Benin & youth leaders. To watch interview go on this link
New York, Aug 2011

Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro) "Top 30 Filipinos Under 30." p. 16 on this link
New York, May 2011

Publication in my first magazine column in Bagong Bayani. p. 32 on this link
Singapore, June 2011

 "Heroes of Today"(Available in PDF)
Sweden 2010

Copenhagen Newspaper
Copenhagen, Denmark, Dec '09

Featured as "Global Changemaker" at Bakitwhy.com. Article on this link.
July 2011

Sunstar
Cebu City, Philippines 2010

Zee Lifestyle Magazine
Cebu City, Philippines May '11

Friendship Ambassadors Foundation "Youth Leadership Success Stories." More on this link. 
New York, New York '10

Inspiration of the day: Choi Sung Bong

Almost everyday, I am inspired by someone or some thing, and I am reminded how life has so much to give, and live for. Today, I am privileged to share with you the story of Choi Sung Bong, a Korean who once was an orphan, who has inspired the world with his voice. His story brought tears to my eyes, and made me much more grateful for the life that we're living. Good things come to those who wait, you have waited long enough Choi, and the waiting is over now.

My blog's page view by countries

My blog's page view top #5 countries are: US, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and the UK! (Other than my home country, ofcourse). Where is the love Africa and Asia???

Official Youth Delegate Declaration

Official Youth Delegates Declaration

No decisions about us, without us

NEGOTIATING OUR SURVIVAL:

A picture of representatives from countries vulnerable to sea level rise sit at a negotiating table submerged in the waves. (from 350.org)

As official youth delegates of our country delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference COP16 in Cancun, Mexico, we have been given the opportunity to represent our country and the voice of youth. We came together and drafted and signed the Official Youth Delegate Declaration, to support other young people to become representatives of their country and encourage their governments to support them. As stakeholders, it is important for governments to fully consider the concerns of youth in negotiations that concerns our future.

OYD Declaration Final

Sena Alouka from Togo signing the Official Youth Delegate Declaration