14 March 2013 -The second Leadership-Management Seminar (LMS) for Fil-Am Community members was held at Stratton Hall, Drexel University, Philadelphia on March 09.

The first LMS was successfully held at the Philippine Center last February 23 for organizations in the New York and New Jersey areas.

The Philadelphia leg covered Pennsylvania, the Greater Philadelphia Area, Southern New Jersey and Delaware. Over 90 guests took part in the one-day seminar covering topics such as Philippine Conditions, Legal and Financial Compliance for organizations, Leadership and Change Management, Protocol, Events Planning, Securing Grants, and a panel on Engaging the Emerging Generation of Filipino-Americans.

The seminar was opened with an invocation by Fr. Efren Esmilla, welcome messages from Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. and Ms. Mary Allen of Drexel University and current Chair of the Pan Asian Networking Group (PANG). The seminar’s inspirational remarks were delivered by the Honorable Guillermo Udarbe, the first Asian-American Mayor of Ridgway, Pennsylvania.

Consul General de Leon relayed that encouraged by the positive feedback from the first LMS held in New York the Consulate in cooperation with the Filipino-American community is bringing the seminar to Filipino-Americans in Pennsylvania and nearby areas.

For his part, Mayor Udarbe, a medical doctor by profession, relayed how after a near fatal car accident in 2009 he decided to be involved in public service and ran for Mayor of his town despite the fact that he and his wife were the only Filipino residents in the area. In 2010 he was elected Mayor of Ridgway and further elevated the political profile of Filipino-Americans in Pennsylvania. He urged all the participants to become more actively involved in the community and called on the emerging generation to learn more about their cultural roots and consider public service as a calling.

The speakers lineup consisted of experts in different fields: Atty. JT Mallonga and Ms. Marie Aunio of the Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF); Behavorial/Organizational Psychology expert Dr. Jean Lobell; CMP Maria Ramos, Tony de Luna of the Pearl S. Buck Foundation; Prof. Ernesto Arcilla of Drexel University and Prof. Erlinda Juliano of the University of Pennsylvania.

A trio of young Filipino-American leaders, Jericho Cruzado, National Chair of FIND, Martin Pico, President of the Philippine Penn Association and Shaun Cruz, President of the Filipino Intercultural Society of Drexel University (FISDU) shared their views from the emerging generation’s perspective in a panel discussion with Professors Arcilla and Juliano. The panel was moderated by young Filipino American professional Brad Baldia of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations–Pennsylvania (NaFFAA-PA).

As with the first LMS, Deputy Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega and Mr. Joselito Mecua delivered a lecture on Basic Protocol. Special Trade Representative Michelle Sanchez gave an Overview on Philippine Economic Developments.

The participants expressed appreciation for this new program and expressed their desire to continue cooperating with the Consulate General on future continuing learning modules particularly on engaging the emerging generation of Filipino-Americans.

The LMS was co-sponsored by Drexel University, FISDU, the Filipino Executive Council of Greater Philadelphia Inc. (FECGP), SODEXO, Inc. and PANG.

Assistance was likewise provided by the Office of the Mayor of Ridgway, NaFFAA-PA, CRE Consulting, FALDEF, Pearl S. Buck Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, PPA, and FIND.

The next LMS editions will take place this fall in Connecticut and Boston. END