Aethen

A couple of months ago, I found an online global community that recognizes the efforts of young people around the globe. It also seeks to empower them through providing an avenue for sharing ideas, dreams and vision. This global initiative transpired in an online platform called World Merit. World Merit aims to bring people together for a common purpose. Each year, the community selects an ambassador who will travel around the world to share the vision, work on social projects, meet world leaders and provide more opportunities towards inspiring the next generation. I was fortunate enough to be one of the finalists vying for this year’s Your Big Year (YBY) Ambassadorship. Competition tasks consisted of organizing an event to introduce World Merit in the community and documenting the stories of experts from various merit disciplines- highlighting their big year, the importance of their discipline and the aim to support the future generation. The process of completing these tasks has ...

Presents As part of the growing need to address public health and fitness and to celebrate Merit*  Month this June 2013, we are organizing an aquathlon aimed to highlight potential of our today’s generation through swimming and running. Join the  World Merit Aquathlon 2013  (The 1st Night Race in Metro Manila)! Date: Sunday, June 30, 2013 Assembly time: 5:00PM Venue: Amoranto Sports Complex Don Alejandro Roces Ave., Quezon City Entry Fee:  Individual participants: PhP 700.00 (inclusive of finisher singlet, race kit, & drinks) Awards: Medals for 1st-3rd Finisher’s Kit from Sponsors Registration Period :  June 17 to June 28, 2013 Procedure of Registration:  Deposit the Registration Fee at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Savings Account #2449 0806 48 in favor of Mark Aethen G. Agana. Post a copy of the deposit slip here in our event page with your FULL NAME & SINGLET SIZE specified. Bring the deposit slip to the Venue on...

Love of own native land On August 16, 2011, Apl.de.Ap went back to the Philippines to inaugurate his Apl.de.Ap Music Library and Studio in his alma mater—Holy Angel University, in Angeles City.  It contains a state-of-the-art music studio, said to be first in the Philippines, and various music CDs all over the world shipped directly from US.  He also extends help in his own baranggay in the same city called Sapang Bato, by opening his first “computer laboratory program.” This is in Sapang Bato National High School.  All of these are manifestations of his gratitude to the land where he once belonged.  By improving the lives and contributing something for his kabalens , he can also show his own “taya para sa bayan” which reflects his love for the Philippines.  He is also looking forward to replicate this program in other provinces in the Philippines soon.           This is a great example of contributing for the deve...

Global Xchange Team 107 A single butterfly flapping it wings can cause a hurricane half across the globe. This may sound poetic, or even implausible, but some volunteers of the Global Exchange Program (GXP) believe that they can help create that spark and start the fire burning for youth volunteerism in the Philippines and around the world. Putting the internet to good use, this year’s volunteers or Team 107 created the first ever GXP volunteers’ project dubbed as The Butterfly Effect Project. “We based this on the chaos theory. A single butterfly flapping its wings in this particular place can cause a hurricane. The same with this project, that no matter how small it is, this would ultimately make a difference for somebody, a group of people and ultimately for the world.,” explains 24-year-old GXP volunteer Anthony Ross Zuniga. GXP is a project of the Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) in partnership with the British Council Philippines. Participants do a three-month volunteer ...

The Butterfly Effect Project- Global Xchange Team 107 It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway across the world. GX Team 107's campaign focuses on the power of small, seemingly inconsequential acts that, if properly situated, can bring about wide-ranging effects. There is no limit to how an individual can change the world. As the butterfly effect illustrates, it can begin with one flap, a single step, one act. It can begin with you.

Nine young Pinoys. Nine young British. Six months. Living and working together 24/7. Two countries. Outside your comfort zone. One life-changing experience. GX Team 107 (From left to right): Marvie from QC, Mike from Ilo-ilo, Trixie from Leyte, Karl from Cainta, JoEd from Ilo-ilo, Toni from here (LOL!), Josh from Legaspi, Aethen , April from Manila, Des from Manila, and KC from Pangasinan. Above are the young pinoys who will be representing the Philippines in this year Global Xchange Programme of British Council and VSO. I was fortunate to be part of the nine (9) young pinoys who will be sent to Hounslow, London as Youth ambassadors and volunteers . The programme has two phases: first phase will take place in London for three (3) months and another three (3) months will be in Cebu, Philippines. Each one of us will be having a British counterpart as buddy throughout the programme and each pair will be housed to a host home. As Joed said, the "Hunkslow" haha! The exchange wi...

Television’s longest running program is celebrating its 30th year in a special way by giving tribute to ordinary people whose deeds touch the world around them. Each deed may be quiet and small. But together, countless small actions can be likened to many lighted candles that can turn darkness to light. Each small and heartfelt action is like a seed that grows into a tree that bears many fruits. By showing the actions of ordinary heroes, Eat Bulaga hopes to influence positively the lives on millions of viewers.  On Saturday, 14 November 2009, I am one of the 10 Eat Bulaga Heroes selected from various sectors and areas all over the Philippines. As pilot episode, a short documentary/tribute about me and my group, the T’nalak Youth Group will also be shown on primetime television. Muli, samahan niyo po kaming humabi ng mga pangarap para sa edukasyon ng lahat na kabataan na gustong makapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Batid po naming wala pong mas matamis na tagumpay kung di ang ibahagi it...

Ada , Fjordz , and I attended the ANC 2nd Leadership forum at UP Diliman last June 5, 2009 . I don’t know if it was a variety show or a leadership forum or are they just being them during that event. Bayani Fernando and Loren Legarda Former President Erap Estrada and Makati Mayor Binay Here are some of my notes: Is it really true than no one is above the law? How about BF? Erap was okay but I want him to be an actor! I’d like to live in Makati where everything from cradle to grave is free. Loren really looks good and beautiful in person, I just hope she will stop beating around the bush and answer directly. Definitely it was a show, a show of who they are and what kind of leaders we have. And of course somebody said we could not judge a book by its cover, still we'll have an idea. What do you think?

TOSP 2009: Call for Nomination Mabuhay! We would like to inform you that the 2009 Search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) has officially started through the support of our partners, most especially the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) TOSP is an annual search which honors Outstanding Filipino Students in Malacañang started in 1961. In recognizing the best students, the annual TOSP search looks for graduating college students who not only have excelled academically, but have dedicated their talents and leadership abilities in making a difference and becoming socially involved in their respective communities, organizations and fields of interest, for the greater good of their constituents and members. Colleges and universities in Regions II, III, V, VI, VII, CAR, and NCR are under Regionalized Areas. Those situated in Regions I, IV-A, IV-B, VIII, IX, X and CARAGA, XI, XII, XIII, and ARMM are under Non-Regionalized. For Regionalized Areas, all duly accompli...