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, chair of the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) Marianas chapter (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam), has launched an essay contest for high school and college students in December 2014.
In 2012, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), a government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines, headed by Secretary Imelda Nicolas, estimated that approximately 10.5 million Filipinos worked or resided abroad.
The contest is open to all Filipino students or of Filipino descent in the Philippines or overseas, from 10 to 25 years old who are enrolled in high school and college.
The deadline for submission of the essay entries has been extended to Feb. 8, 2015.
Entries should be submitted by e-mail 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:
- The contributions of overseas Filipinos to the economy of the Philippines. The importance of the participation of overseas Filipinos in the Philippine elections.
- What are the social risks that the children and families of overseas Filipinos face due to long years of separation or long distance relationships?
- Why are the overseas Filipinos called the “new heroes” of the Philippines? Please describe the traits of overseas Filipinos which make them unique as global immigrants and overseas Filipino workers.
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 P25,000 to P3,000 ($500 to $60). The school, college or university of the first prize winning essays will receive P10,000 ($220) each. There are 10 consolation prizes of P1,000 ($25).
Every student entry must contain the confirmation of the school principal, college or 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, e-mail address and telephone number are required to authenticate the student entry.
The contest rules are available at https://www.uspgg.org/ aug21/2014-essay-writing-con test and entry forms are available at https://uspgg.org/aug 21/uspggcontent/uploads/US PGG_Essay_2015_Form.pdf or it can be requested by e-mail at celialamkin@yahoo.com and norman.silvestre@yahoo.com. ph.
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 awarding ceremony will be held during the Third Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora on Feb. 25-27.
For more information, e-mail Dr. Celia Lamkin at celialamkin @yahoo.com or Norman Silvestre, USP4GG Secretariat for Essay Contest on Overseas Filipinos, at norman.silvestre@
yahoo.com.ph and Ferth Vandensteen Manaysay, USP4GG Marianas chapter Media and Public Relations Head, at van
densteen09@ gmail.com.
For more information on the USP4GG, visit www.uspgg.org and for the Third Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora, visit www.cfo.gov.ph.