Two Filipino leaders are in the top 300 young global leaders list for 2008 of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The Geneva-based international organization recognized Sen. Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero and former actor and entrepreneur Illac Diaz for their contributions to society, among 5,000 candidates worldwide.
Escudero is a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and currently the Secretary General of the United Opposition. During the 2007 elections, he got the second highest number of votes among senatorial candidates.
He was a member of the Philippine House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007, and served as the Minority Floor Leader of the 13th Congress.
Diaz is the founder of CentroMigrante, a self-help business model that provides clean, safe and affordable housing for Filipinos who come to Manila to look for jobs as seamen.
He also founded the MyShelter Foundation, which builds low-cost classrooms using the Earthbag Construction System. Diaz has been named as one of The Outstanding Young Persons of the World by the Jaycees International.
The WEF also recognized Hollywood Actor Leonardo DiCaprio; Grammy Award winner Shakira Mebarak Singe; Thomas Glocer, Chief Executive Officer, Reuters, United Kingdom; Arthur Sulzberger, Chairman and Publisher, The New York Times, USA; and Hisashi Hieda, Chairman and CEO, Fuji Television Network, Japan. The selection committee is chaired by Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
“We need the Young Global Leaders to be a voice for the future in the global thought process and as a catalyst for initiatives in the global public interest,” Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of WEF said.
Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, the WEF is impartial and non-profit, and is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.
Tags: Awards, Francis Chiz Escudero, Illac Diaz, OFWs, Statesmen
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