by Nathaniel Carampatana | February 16, 2023
Two Sillimanians emerged with key awards as they represented the Philippines during the Asian Youth Leaders Travel and Learning Camp (AYLTLC) last Feb. 2 to 6, Singapore.
Christian Entrata, Silliman University Student Government (SUSG) president, and Enrica Marian Dinopol, SUSG house speaker, received the Best Presentation Content and Outstanding Presentation Award, outperforming over 200 student leaders from Asia.
Dinopol also received the Oustanding Youth Leaders Award, an award given to student leaders who exhibited exemplary performance during the camp through active participation in different activities.
When asked about what it meant for him to represent Silliman University (SU) and the Philippines during AYLTLC, Entrata likened it to a responsibility rather than an opportunity.
“I felt responsible for representing SU well, and I believe being able to go on the global scene with the SU banner was an opportune time to show the world that student leaders from Silliman and the Philippines at large are capable,” he said.
Dinopol also pointed out that being chosen as a representative provided the chance to give justice to the macro-level problems faced by the Philippines while also addressing micro-issues faced by the student body of SU.
“I felt that it wouldn’t be fair to my fellow Filipinos and my fellow sillimanians if I would be unable to do that. To be quite honest, I was so excited because I had so much to say about the state of our nation, and I wanted to make sure that the world or perhaps the universe rather was aware,” she expressed.
With regard to the achievements’ impact on the Sillimanian image, Entrata and Dinopol reflected on the idea that the awards served as testaments of how SU trains its students for the future.
“More importantly, this shows that student leaders in SU are student leaders with a purpose. After the camp, our primary goal now is to pay it forward by applying our learnings in our remaining months in service in the SUSG,” Entrata said.
Dinopol then emphasized that the process of being chosen to represent SU is the effect of being present for a purpose larger than oneself.
“To anyone who hopes to take part in this, trust in the fact that there is a world much larger than your own, and you are capable of traversing that. That first step is all that matters, and in the SUSG, we are able to do that,” she said.
Entrata concluded by calling out Sillimanians who shared the same hopes of achieving what they both earned.
“We only have to expand our network, and that is through joining organizations and even the SUSG. It is just a matter of determination to immerse yourselves in different activities at the University first, and eventually, opportunities for bigger engagements will come,” he said.
Founded in 2012, the AYLTLC is an annual gathering for youth leaders worldwide.
