12 Emergent Filipino Leaders to US for Exchange Program on Jurisprudence & Responsive Citizenship

Twelve young Filipino leaders screened from over a hundred applicants nationwide have been chosen to participate in a Filipino-American exchange program "Strengthening Leadership Through Innovative Jurisprudence and Responsive Citizenship."

"The US-RP Exchange Program is a project funded by the US Department of State in partnership with Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice-College of Social Science and the Xavier University Governance & Leadership Institute (XU GLI)," said Ma. Elizabeth O. Soriano, XU GLI director.

Soriano said the XU GLI is a training center of Xavier University dedicated to the formation of public leaders and building citizens for democracy in Northern Mindanao, has now expanded its coverage to the entire Philippines through this exchange program.

"The delegates will join lectures and workshops at Michigan State University and visit government institutions in the area," Soriano said. The Philippine delegation will be in Washington DC for a week and then proceed to Chicago, Illinois for another week. Upon their return on May, they will prepare for the arrival of their US counterparts and host two in-country workshops at Ateneo de Manila University and Xavier University in coordination with XU GLI.

Seven of the 12 emergent leaders come from Mindanao: Eddie Cuaresma, Regional Coordinator of the National Youth Commission (NYC)-X, Nur Jaypha Bacaraman, Regional Coordinator of NYC-ARMM, Pablo Benitez, Jr. of the Local Governance Resource Center of the DILG-X; Judge Marlon Moneva of the Municipal Trial Court of Plaridel, Misamis Occidental; Edmundo Pacamalan, Jr., Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator of LGU Alubijid, Misamis Oriental; and Atty. Josefe Sorrera-Ty, Dean of the College of Law of the Urios University in Butuan City.

Two come from the Visayas: Roger Marapo, Dean of Student Affairs, La Salle University-Bacolod; and Fr. Joseph Anore, Prison Management Program of the Cebu Archdiocese.

Atty. Froilan Cabarios of Quezon City Public Attorney´s Office, Michelle Ng Bonto of the Planning Division, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in San Pedro, Laguna and Glenn Forbes, Tanggol Kalikasan, Quezon province are the emergent leaders from Luzon.

XU GLI Director Beth Soriano and XU Center for Legal Assistance (XUCLA) Director Neil Pacamalan sent off the RP delegates to Michigan, USA last 27 March 2009.

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Photo caption- Dr. Sheila Maxwell presents an overview of the US Criminal Justice System to the visitors at Michigan State University.