Student essay contest on overseas Filipinos launched 

For the education and increased awareness of Filipino students regarding the roles and importance of overseas Filipinos in the future of the Philippines, Dr. Celia Lamkin, chairperson of the US Pinoys for Good Governance-Marianas chapter, has launched an essay contest for high school and college students.

In 2012, the Commission on Overseas Filipinos, a government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines, which is headed by Secretary Imelda M. Nicolas, estimated that approximately 10.5 million Filipinos work or reside abroad.

The contest is open to all Filipino students or those of Filipino descent in the Philippines or overseas, from 10 to 25 years old who are enrolled in high school and college.

Submissions will be accepted from Dec. 31, 2014, to Feb. 1, 2015. Entries should be submitted by email only at overseasfilipinosessay@yahoo.com.

The theme of the essay is “The overseas Filipinos and their impact on the Philippines.”

 The essay should focus on:

1 The contributions of overseas Filipinos to the economy of the Philippines; the importance of the participation of overseas Filipinos in the Philippine elections.

2 What are the social risks that the children and families of overseas Filipinos face due to long years of separation or long distance relationships?

3 Why are the overseas Filipinos called to be the “new heroes” of the Philippines? Please describe the traits of overseas Filipinos that make them unique as global immigrants.

The essay must be original. It must not be previously published in print or online nor in any visual and/or auditory recording. It must be in English and must not be more than 1,500 typed words and should be in MS Word format.

Prize ranges from 25,000 to 3,000 pesos ($500 to $60). The school/college/university of the first prize winning essays will receive 10,000 pesos ($220) each.

Every student entry must contain the confirmation of the school principal, college/university dean or president that the essay is written by and originated from the student. Signature of the school principal, college or university president or dean, address, email address and telephone number are required to authenticate the student entry.

Only one entry per person will be accepted. The entry form is available at www.uspgg.org or it can be requested by email at celialamkin@yahoo.com. A parental consent, authorization and liability waiver form is required for minor students. Adult students, for their part, must submit a student consent, authorization and liability waiver form.

A panel of judges, selected by the US Pinoys for Good Governance Ad Hoc Committee for Essay Contest on Overseas Filipinos, will make the final decision.

The awards ceremony will be held during the Third Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora on Feb. 25-27, 2015, at Manila Hotel in Manila, Philippines,  where approximately 600 participants from different countries are expected to attend.

Attorney Loida Nicolas Lewis, national chairperson of US Pinoys for Good Governance, says, «It is good to listen to what the youth feel about Filipinos overseas because they themselves may be children of Filipinos who went abroad to seek financial resources to give their family a better future.» 

US Pinoys for Good Governance, headed by national chairwoman attorney Loida Nicolas Lewis, president attorney Rodel Rodis and legal counsel/spokesman attorney Ted Laguatan, is a nonprofit organization based in New York, whose mission is a better life for Filipinos everywhere and a better Philippines.

For more information, email Dr. Celia Lamkin at celialamkin@yahoo.com or Norman Silvestre at norman.silvestre@yahoo.com.ph.

For more information on the USP4GG, visit www.uspgg.org.