Ugnayan Dinner
UGNAYAN DINNER Bahay Ugnayan J.P. Laurel St., Malacanang Compound, San Miguel, Manila September 3, 2010
Espousing the present administration’s thrust of nation-building through public engagement, a number of esteemed individuals that have championed the advocacy of social entrepreneurship were gathered together on September 3 for an evening of fellowship and healing in Bahay Ugnayan. Guests included Jefferson Awards for Public Service and Volunteerism 2010Youth In Action Awardee and MoneyThink Founder Ted Gonder, Ms. Teresita Ang-See of the KAISA Foundation, Rapa Lopa, Executive Director of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, Hapinoy President, Bam Aquino, Rags2Riches President Reese Fernandez, Innovent and Why Not Forum Co-Founder Mark Ruiz, 2009 Ernst&Young/Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Gemma Bulos, 2009 CNN Hero Efren Penaflorida Jr., and 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Award for Children Awardee Em Bagual. The fellowship began with a faith and worship ceremony that was conducted in the light of the recent hostage tragedy that occurred in our country. It was followed by a gathering where guests exchanged a gamut of ideas that were geared towards social change.
The fellowship brought together panelists from a youth forum on Social Entrepreneurship held in the University of San Carlos in Cebu last September 1. The forum was organized in order to push the Filipino youth to transcend from being ordinary citizens and into becoming extraordinary individuals. “There have to be new ways of solving problems. There has to be a way to solve age-old problems like poverty and environmental degradation. We cannot use the old solutions; we have to come up with new solutions. The definition of insanity is to do things over and over again and expect a different result,” Bam Aquino said in his speech during the forum.
This forum couldn’t have come at a better time, where increasing calls for social reform has reverberated throughout the nations. This movement seeks to transform the frustrations of the Filipino people towards corruption in the country into a movement for people empowerment throughout the nation. Central to this thrust was the launch of Bahay Ugnayan during the September 3 dinner. It serves as a symbolic seal of partnerships forged for nation-building. Taken from the Filipino word for coming together, working together and linking arms to achieve a shared vision and purpose, Ugnayan aims to bring together like-minded people committed to doing good through the creation of projects that will encourage volunteerism. It serves to foster a community of motivated and enlightened individuals working collaboration, partnerships and positive action that contributes to nation-building.
