NEXTGEN Travel Fellowship Program Postponed to Summer 2022
Due to Covid 19 Pandemic
2022 NEXTGEN Travel Fellowship Info
The Bayanihan Foundation postpones its next plans for NEXTGEN: ‘Pagbabalik’ (Coming Home) Travel Scholarship to 2022. The recent global pandemic of COVID 19 virus has made travel to the Philippines untenable. Please stay tuned for more details in the Fall 2021 for the NEXTGEN: ‘Pagbabalik’ Travel Scholarship Application. However, this is subject to change based on the worldwide Covid19 pandemic conditions. The Bayanihan Foundation sincerely apologizes for this schedule change. Please bookmark this page for more details.
Since 2015, the Bayanihan Foundation traveled with 12 young Filipino Americans and they visited historic sites in the Philippines; learned more about their Filipino heritage; connected with the foundation’s sustainable projects; and encouraged them to give back to the community, locally and globally.
In the summer of 2022, we plan to bring another cohort of young Filipino Americans to the Philippines. This immersion trip is coordinated to promote diaspora philanthropy; know more about Filipino culture; learn about the foundation’s sustainable projects; connect and develop the participant’s potential sustainable projects; and connect with relatives and the participant’s heritage.
2022 NEXTGEN Trip Itinerary
During the 14-day trip, participants plans to:
- Visit historic sites related to precolonial Philippines; colonial sites under Spain and the US; Philippine revolution for independence; and to World War II;
- Connect with community grassroots groups and connect with their local efforts for community sustainability;
- Conduct sustainable projects including planting mangrove seedlings in Liloan, Cebu, as part of the thousands of mangrove seedlings already planted to combat climate change;
- Donate sweat equity and help build long-term sustainable projects on the ground; and
- Relax and enjoy the Philippine islands.
Learn about Philippine history, pre-colonial roots and its colonial past
Besides traveling to the Philippines, the Bayanihan Foundation partnered with the Committee on Pilipino Issues (CPI), a Chicago based community based organization, the Bayanihan Foundation to produce a series of “Filipinx X-Plore Our History” online workshops to provide access to Filipino culture and promote NEXTGEN Travel to the Philippines. Take a look at the history links and Voice Thread presentations to learn more about Philippine precolonial history, its colonial past, and its diverse culture and heritage.
You will be required to attend a pre-orientation training to help you learn more about Filipino culture and heritage. The curriculum for the history workshops were put together by the following volunteers: Cecily Hensler of University of Illinois at Chicago; Maria Ferrera of DePaul University; Dale Asis & Jeselle Santiago of Loyola University Chicago; and Eugene Asidao of Committee on Pilipino Issues (CPI).
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2019 NEXTGEN Fellows
Richelle Caday
Richelle Caday is a second-generation Pilipinx-American from Carson, CA. She is an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California (USC) completing her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology as well as in Non-Governmental Organizations and Social Change with a minor in Organizational Leadership and Management. As a student leader in multiple organizations on campus, including USC Troy Philippines and the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly, Richelle has a strong passion for serving her community. Though she has traveled to the Philippines before, she is excited to further explore her Pilipinx identity through diaspora philanthropy with the NEXTGEN program and Bayanihan Foundation.
Camillo Geaga
Camillo Geaga is deeply honored and once again excited to be a recipient of the NEXTGEN Fellowship. The past few years, Camillo has developed connections in the Philippines and also has evolved personally and professionally. Born in Oakland, CA, Camillo grew up in the CA bay area where he graduated from high school. In 2019, he recently received an Associate’s degree from the Los Angeles City College (LACC). He was recently accepted at California State University Northridge (CSUN) and plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health. Since 2016, Camillo has been involved with the NEXTGEN program and is excited to be going for the third time.
Jacob Olaguir
Jacob Olaguir was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico (NM). His father is from Biabas, Bohol and moved from Long Beach, CA to Albuquerque, NM. Jacob was raised in a low-income community in Albuquerque called Barelas. He recently graduated from Albuquerque High School. This fall 2019, Jacob plans to study Marketing with a focus in Interdisciplinary Film and Digital Media at University of New Mexico. Through the values that his father taught him, he plans in using his Marketing, Film, and Digital media degree to help build a better perception of the Filipino American community in New Mexico. Jacob is excited to go to the Philippines for the first time. He’s looking forward to know more about his Filipino heritage and learn about opportunities to help locally back home in Albuquerque, NM and globally back in the Philippines.
2018 Fellows
Camillo Geaga
“I’m Camillo Geaga from Los Angeles, California. I recently completed my Associate degree (AA) in Liberal Arts and Humanities at Los Angeles City College (LACC). In the fall 2019,I plan to enroll at California State University Northridge (CSUN) to complete my bachelor’s degree in Public Health. I have joined the NEXTGEN program for two years in a row. I’m always excited about my experience to travel to the Philippines in the hopes of cultural enrichment, education, and further participation with the Bayanihan Foundation.”
2017 Fellows
Marc Butiong
“I’m Marc Butiong. In May 2015, I graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) with a degree in Business Management and minor in Finance. I work as a Sales Analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. I hope to pursue a career in healthcare administration after completing graduate school. I split my time between Chicago and Detroit where I support multiple nonprofit initiatives including the Bayanihan Foundation.
As a recipient of the first NEXTGEN scholarship back in 2015, the program provided me the opportunity to visit the Philippines for the first time and understand my Filipino identity. For this year’s trip, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with the country and exploring more of its rich history to share with the Filipino community back home.”
Camillo Geaga
“I’m Camillo Geaga from Berkeley, California. I am completing an Associate degree (AA) in Liberal Arts and Humanities at Los Angeles City College. I will be joining this year’s NEXTGEN program and this will be my first time to visit the Philippines. I’m excited about my experience to travel to the Philippines in the hopes of cultural enrichment, education, and further participation with the Bayanihan Foundation.”
2015 Fellows
Jane Baron
Jane Baron immigrated to the US when she was nine years old. She recently obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Loyola University Chicago. During her four years at Loyola, she was involved in Kapwa, a Filipino student organization on campus and became President of Kapwa in the 2014-2015 academic school year. She was also a Women of Color Scholar and a Social Justice Research Fellow at Loyola. Outside of school, she was an Impact Fellow and Kinetic Instructor at Asian Americans Advancing Justice—Chicago.
Marc Butiong
Marc Butiong is a recent graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Finance. He served as a student leader for multiple organizations on campus and will apply the same dedication as a bridge-builder for the Bayanihan Foundation. This will be his first trip to the Philippines and first opportunity to experience the homeland through diaspora philanthropy. He will begin his professional career with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in July 2015.
Jeselle Santiago
Jeselle is a recent college graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a Minor in Asian American Studies. She has a heart for helping others and hopes to make a positive impact in the mental health field. She was born in Manila, Philippines then raised in America—and she embraces her truly Filipino American identity. With the generosity of the Bayanihan foundation, she will finally have the opportunity to explore this identity further.
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