About MIYE

Official MIYE Logo

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - The 3rd Malaysia International Youth Exchange (MIYE-3) Programme with the theme: "Culture through Social Innovation" is designed to accelerate youth networking in the realm of socio-cultural community pillar. It's platform is to strengthen friendship and cooperation among ASEAN young talent. MIYE-3 is a program by the Committee for ASEAN Youth Cooperation (CAYC) and Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) in collaboration with International Youth Centre (IYC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia held in conjunction with the 2016 Malaysia National Youth Day Celebration.

The 3-day programme was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 13-15 May 2016 and was participated by the seven (7) ASEAN member countries namely: Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia. 

In the Philippines, a total of five (5) delegates were chosen to be the Ambassador of Goodwill to represent the Filipino youth in the said programme. The two (2) delegates, Tina Hipolito and Raymond Fajardo come from the Quezon City, while Marisse Galera, KC Derequito and Jesse Guinto are from the cities of Makati, Iloilo and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, respectively.

The key highlights of the programme include; the cultural performance of each country held at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), KL walk, cultural diversity workshop and the Malaysia National Youth Day celebration held also at the UPM, Serdang.

The cultural performance of each country was materialized very lively and interactively. Each participating country got a chance to showcase their traditional/cultural performance clothed in their respective national costumes. Despite the scorching hot atmosphere, all delegates were enthusiastic to participate and bring pride to their countries. The KL walk on the other hand, mesmerized all of us as we see the high rise contemporary buildings in the backdrops. Most especially when we saw the actual view of the Petronas Twin Towers.

The cultural diversity workshop held at the Teacher Training Institute in Kuala Lumpur gave us the chance to experience playing Malay percussion instruments such as bonang and gendang. The other delegates got a chance to perform a Malay traditional dance called joget and kompang. 

At the UPM, Serdang, we graced our presence to witness the Malaysia National Youth day celebration. Present in the event is the Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi where he announced that the Malaysia government is set to provide RM500 million to fund numerous youth development programs and entrepreneurship handled by agencies.  Zahid said that as future leaders, the youth must be given more opportunities in numerous fields such us politics. He added that the strength of the young today is not only measured by their spirit but should be interpreted through hard work and cooperation regardless of their backgrounds. Also present were Youth and Sports Minster Khairy Jamaluddin, his deputy Datuk M. Saravanan and Malaysian Youth Council president Muam'mar Ghadafi Jamal.

The Philippine Delegation

From L-R: KC Derequito, Ana Kristina Hipolito, Jesus Guinto,
Raymond Fajardo and Marisse Galera.

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KC, Student Leader

"Being a student of International Relations, it is amazing how the theories and learnings I had in the four walls of classroom were manifested in this event. I realized that experiencing the different cultures is enough to make me grateful and most importantly, I realized how much these cultures contribute to the uniqueness of the ASEAN collectively."

About KC:

KC DEREQUITO, 21 is currently a student of De La Salle University taking up Bachelor of Arts in International Studies major in American Studies and is down to her last academic term. Presently, she is an intern at the American Chamber of Commerce-Arangkada. She is involved in various advocacies, specifically on women and youth empowerment and HIV/AIDS. She was born and raised in Iloilo where she also served as Sangguniang Kabataan Municipal Federation of the Municipality of Dumangas for calendar year 2010-2013. In 2015, she spent an academic term of seven (7) months at the Université Catholique de Lille, France and backpacked her way around Europe. Up to now the small town girl remained a backpacker by heart, traversing her dream of travelling and experiencing the world one country at a time and her dream of travelling around the African continent is still yet to be realized. Packed with dreams, aspirations, and a little bit of pixie dust, she hopes to pursue a career in the foreign service. She believes that, as the Great Madiba Nelson Mandela said, everything seems impossible until it is done.

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Tina, Public Servant

"Perhaps that's the best thing about being on exchange: not simply seeing a new world, but also seeing yourself with new eyes as well."

There was a part in the start of the Youth Day ceremony where the Malaysian national anthem was sung. And I was surprised to hear everyone around me singing loudly, proudly. It made me think of how people in the Philippines sang our national anthem: often under their breath, trying to expend the least amount of effort, if they were singing at all.

Malaysians love their country, and it shows in the little things-- how they put their whole being into the singing of their anthem, how clean their streets are, how happy they are to talk about their country's diversity. It makes me reflect on why this isn't the case in my country, and what we can do to change it.

I think it starts with seeing the good in each of us, that in spite of our faults and difficulties, there is always something to be proud of if only we'd care to look. I went back to the Philippines wishing that some things were different (traffic, transportation systems, democratic maturity), but being thankful for some things that make us who we are today (resiliency, warm-heartedness, hospitality). Perhaps that's the best thing about being on exchange: not simply seeing a new world, but also seeing yourself with new eyes as well.

About Tina:

MARIA KRISTINA HIPOLITO, 25, a quarter life millennial with an interest in public service. A graduate of the University of the Philippines – Diliman, Tina started her career with Bloomberg's educational division, which aimed to provide equal opportunities for youth around the world. In 2014, she was part of British Council's prestigious social enterprise boot camp for young leaders. This eventually inspired one of her passion projects called "The Field Trip Project", which aims to fund field trips for underprivileged children. All of these support her vision of an empowered and participatory Filipino youth.

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Jesse, Theater Actor

"As I got connected with individuals of varied cultures and built good relationships with them, I realized that learning English as an international language is not enough. We therefore need to learn how to live with other people and communicate with our hearts to show that we care and ready to listen."

I can really see the value of lifting cultural barriers through exchange programs of the Philippine government and ASEAN as a whole. It strikes me that a cultural exchange between nations is not only worthwhile, it is also, woefully underutilized. As I got connected with individuals of varied cultures and built good and healthy relationships with them, I realized that learning how to speak English as an international language is not enough; we therefore need to learn how to live with other people as well; that we have to communicate with our hearts to show that we care and ready to listen.

I believe that youth has the most powerful source of vigor in effecting positive social change in the community. Through this program, I realized that we must encourage the young to learn more about other nations and its people and explore different cultures and traditions while not forgetting their own. MIYE for instance, is one of the great avenues that carry the purpose of transcending cultural barriers. This trip has proved that in a very personal way.

As I return from an extraordinary weekend in Malaysia, I return a recharged person. I was able to renew my enthusiasm to lead various significant youth development projects in the community where I belong. I temporarily left, to get to learn about the culture of other ASEAN member countries. It was a great opportunity to introduce my country to the delegates from other countries in South East Asia.

About Jesse:

JESUS GUINTO, 26, is a youth leader, a public servant, a human rights advocate, and a musical theater actor. When he was on his 3rd year in college, Jesse was chosen as one of the student ambassadors to Japan under the Japan East-Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Programme by the National Youth Commission. He is currently working at the Social Security System under the Quality Management Department. In 2006, he pursued his interest in the Performing Arts by joining a community theater group in his hometown San Jose del Monte, Bulacan which then led him to attend various acting workshops, such as Basic Acting for Theater and Creative Musical Theater I in the Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA) in 2014. Jesse is a cum laude graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) - Manila of a Bachelor in Communication Research degree. After acquiring his degree, he juggled his responsibilities as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the Metrobank and later on as Communication Assistant in the Department of Budget and Management - Office of the Secretary, with his graduate studies on Master in Public Administration in PUP-Open University System. He is known as Jesse to his friends.

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Raymond, Entrepreneur

"Immersing oneself towards this experience, made me realize that no one can be the center of the universe, and made me take out the notion that not everything revolves around you, and being with people from different countries and having different cultures can have unity, despite what ever language barrier or different beliefs we have, as long as we listen to one another and are selfless."

In my 4-day stay during the MIYE I was able to learn more about the culture of the nation, learn more about the community that they stay in, have a better understanding on the diverse languages food and people. I have observed that women are mostly conservative, most of them pray 5 times a day, and less meat all throughout my 4day journey. Mostly I reflected on how we may be totally different but the same at the same time, different mostly on the physical appearance on the food on how it is prepared, and on the languages we speak, but the same on our strong belief that there is a supreme being above all of us.

About Raymond:

RAYMOND BAYANI FAJARDO, 29 is an Entrepreneur and a Graduate of Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communications at St. Paul University in Iloilo City. Raymond is currently working in the Office of the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Tupas of the National Youth Commission (NYC) under the Office of the President as the Chief of Staff. Prior to this, he was the head of the Media Department and Barangay Affairs Unit for 9 Years under the Office of then 3-term number 1 Iloilo City Councilor Lex Tupas. Raymond's motto in life is that - "I meant what I said and said what I meant I am very faithful 100 percent." Raymond is happily married for 2 years now with one child. He believes that, being a father changes a man forever, and that you will never know how to be a father until you become one.

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Marisse, Youth Leader

"The greatest thing I learned in the program is how we had unity in diversity. Our weaves, instruments, and customs were distinct from each other yet similar with one another. Truly we have one ASEAN. Even when faced with these similarities, however, we see how our culture still is distinct, and we appreciate also the uniqueness of each culture, especially our very own Filipino culture."

One of the things that weirded the other delegates out the most was how we added bananas to our meat (such as in pochero and bulalo) and how we had bananas for a ketchup! These are things I eat every day and cannot really live without. To them, even the mere idea of it was preposterous. For me, what I find unusual was how they all seemed very conservative and, of course, why they could not eat pork. This made me realize that the usual for me may be unusual for another and the usual for the other may be unusual for me. Despite the differences in us, we the delegates from different countries still found friendship and goodwill with each other. Truly, we are different but all the same in that we are unique.

The greatest thing I learned in the program is how we had unity in diversity. Our weaves, instruments, and customs were distinct from each other yet similar with one another. Truly we have one ASEAN. Even when faced with these similarities, however, we see how our culture still is distinct, and we appreciate also the uniqueness of each culture, especially our very own Filipino culture.

About Marisse:

MARISSE GALERA, 21, is a senior student in Ateneo de Manila University where she is taking AB Psychology and AB Development Studies. She loves going out to do fieldwork and talking to people, especially locals and sees this as getting to know her nation in the best way possible: through the eyes of its citizens. Learning about their stories gives her a push that keeps the hope and faith in her alive. She has worked with various organizations such as the Ateneo Innovation Center, Ateneo School of Government, Lingap Pangkabataan, Inc., Philippine Development for Human Resources in the Rural Areas, and Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation. She works heavily with local communities, especially indigenous groups and the urban poor.

MIYE Highlights of Activities

Day 1: Ice Breaking Activity

IYC, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - The ice breaking activity started at around 8 o’clock in the evening. However, before that, we were introduced to the program staff and met this guy Bahgwan, who, perhaps, has an energy of the energizer bunny (batteries) which kept us all entertained. We were oriented of the things that we should be expecting and the staff laid down the rules before us. In order to get to know one another, or possibly, break us into the program, there was a series of ice breaker activities. First is the usual introduction but in order for everyone to, at least, get a hang of all the names, we had to create some sort of action or make sounds after we say our names and country. Of course, Baghwan started the ball rolling and soon, everyone followed by making silly faces. The number of participants was relatively low so, one way or the other; we will be getting to know someone from a different country.

The MIYE delegates during the ice breaking activity 

The second game was the “Pass the Buzz” which was kind of complicated that only a few could follow. We ended up proceeding to the last game which was a test of patience and strategy. The whole contingent was divided into two groups. All members of each group must link their hands and the game master will place a cloth ring (rope) draping from the left shoulder to the lower right torso of the first participant. This ring must be passed around without the aid of the other hand (since it’s linked) and without the cloth touching the ground. After the trial round, both groups have somehow established how are they going to go about the game so when the final round started, everyone was giddy to take their turn and everyone seems to be shouting, jumping, and what not. 

It definitely removed all the hesitations that we all have. Why were we jumping? I have no idea. There was no price or any similar motivation but I guess, everybody just wants to win. I could distinctly remember the time when the ring was maybe 2 or 3 people away from me, I started squeezing the hand of the person to my right because I was so excited. To an extent, it was hilarious because when we all first linked hands, we didn’t make much effort to get to know the people beside us. 

MIYE delegates in their respective freestyle poses after the Ice Breaking activity. 

After the orientation and ice breaking, we all went back to our respective rooms and for some of us, we used this chance to get to know our new roommates. We rested that night peacefully knowing that a new day filled of learning and activities awaits us.

Performance Rehearsal

IYC, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Our group had brainstorm a lot of ideas before deciding on what to do for the cultural performance. We planned to have a skit, we planned to present games of the Filipino culture and we planned to sing, but time is against us and the availability of what we have is limited.

We rehearsed after the registration and the ice breaking for us to get to know the delegates, we had to decide and decide we did, so dance it is, we started around 10 in the evening for us to get the steps and for us to the formation, it was a bit sketchy at first, since we knew we had to get it done soon for we had to be up early the next day.

Everybody poses before the start of the actual rehearsal.

But with determination and team work we were able to get the work done for our presentation, to make it work we combined various steps from YouTube videos with our own and inculcate the steps of every member to finally get the rhythm and get the final plans to finish our dance.

We had about 3 hours until the wee hours in the morning to finish with our presentation; we had blocking, counting, the beat and the lyrics of the music to go with so as not to forget where and when we are going to enter and to exit.

Indeed we made the impossible possible, with just over 3 hours of work and whole day of planning we got the steps, the formation the rhythm that is needed to pull off the dance presentation to be presented in front of our fellow delegates the next day at the Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Day 2: The Cultural Performance

UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYISA, SERDANG, MALAYSIA - Day 2 of MIYE didn't begin in the morning - it actually began the previous night, when we were going around in a mild panic about what to present. 

We had to do a cultural presentation in the morning in national costume. The venue would be open-air, like a concert, and we should expect 500 people to watch us. Since the shadow play we originally wanted to perform wouldn't be feasible given the set up, we had to regroup and discuss a doable alternative that didn't need props, special skills, or weeks of practice. We had, after all, only three hours to come up with something that (at the bare minimum) wouldn't embarrass the country.

In the end, it was a pop song that saved us -- "Pinoy Ako" to be exact, because pop culture is still culture nonetheless. I think it's a testament to Pinoy creativity, ingenuity, and competitiveness that we were somehow able to polish a whole dance routine at the 11th hour. It was also a great way to bond and have fun -- who knew we had hidden dance skills?

Donned in our national costumes, we boarded the bus that took us to the Universiti Putra Malaysia, the venue for Malaysia's ongoing Youth Week. On a large parking lot stood various food trucks and tents selling things and meals while large speakers blared dance music, which lent a festive air early in the morning. There was a Zumba session ongoing when we arrived which other delegates joined--in their national costume, no less!--while waiting for our cultural performances to start.

If we observe closely, the national costumes of ASEAN countries have one thing in common-it has vibrant batik colors. The program started with announcements and the performance officially started with Vietnam singing a song about their country. Even though we did not understand anything at all, we felt their nationalism pouring out of their mouths every time they sing a line.  The next to perform was Cambodia dancing to one of their traditional songs. This was followed by Laos, who were joined by other delegates because it was a little bit of a workshop where they taught us how to dance it. Indonesia and Myanmar also showcased their culture through dancing and singing. Malaysia, on another note, opted for poem reciting where they talked about why they love Malaysia. Judging by the way they deliver their poems, it’s simply nationalistic even though we did not understand anything.

As to our cultural performance, we chose the theme song of the millennial, which is the Pinoy Ako by Orange and Lemons (made popular by the Pinoy Big Brother). Of course, we started off by explaining what the meaning of the song is and how it talks about the differences of the Filipinos but the bottom-line is, we are one. Jesse concluded his explanation by saying that through this song, perhaps, people will realize that we are standing in front of them as Filipinos, with confidence and beautiful hearts.

Jesse introduces the Philippine delegation and explains 
the group's performance.

“The performance that you are about to witness is a pop culture dance popularly known to Filipino youth entitled: "Pinoy Ako" - I am a Filipino. The message of the song simply implies that as a Filipino you just have to be true to yourself and stand for what you believe in. As Filipinos, we believe that wherever we go, we always excel to whatever we do. We are Filipinos, standing in front all of you with so much confidence and a beautiful heart.”

The dance started with us showcasing the different cultural attires. Tina was on a traditional Baro’t Saya, Marisse was donned in a vibrantly colored Baro’t Saya. KC was wearing a modern take of the Female Barong and Malong. Jesse was clothed in a Maranao attire adorned by bright colors (he was drenched in sweat, it is THAT thick) and Raymond was on a traditional Barong Tagalog. We looked so legit on our outfits but its materials combined with the scorching hot temperature of Malaysia left us all exhausted after we finished dancing. During the performance, we danced the usual steps that we see on TV and the best part was having our co-delegates follow and enjoy our dance moves as well. 

Kristina in her traditional baro't saya.

Marisse in her vibrantly pink Baro’t Saya.

KC in her modern take of the Female 
Barong and Malong.

Jesse in his Maranao attire adorned by
bright colors.

Raymond in traditional Barong Tagalog.

The Philippine delegation performs their presentation 

in the crowd of Universiti Putra Malaysia.

The performance concluded with a flash mob headed by the Vietnam delegation, we danced as if we knew what we were doing and we danced like we were in a party. Everybody was just having a good time. This goes to prove that when we let our guards down, we will realize that we are capable of doing a lot of things and collectively, we can do more. 

With the cultural performance behind us, we were free to enjoy the different sights, sounds, and smells at the fair. We made use of the time getting to know the other delegates, watching the ongoing talent show, and buying various kinds of food to try. 

Visit at the Pusat Jualan Kraf Museum

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - The Pusat Jualan Kraf Museum, which is also known as the craft village, is an entity that houses Malaysia's local arts, crafts, and artisans. Here, we saw the different weaves, paintings, pottery, and even local games. 

Their weaving is similar to our banig, but instead of sleeping on it, they use it as place mats and for very important occasions. Their weaves are kept as family heirlooms and can signify nobility.

Their pottery, though different, reminded me of our very own banga. The functions are generally the same, but in Malaysia, pottery is considered more of an art than something done out of necessity. In the end, we were able to make art of our own!

We were able to experience their art through talking to the artists who were there. The artists talked about their art and how they do it and we were able to see them work in action.

We really had a great time at the Craft Museum. We actually wish we had more time there! There we saw that there really are similarities and distinctions in our culture and theirs. We were also really able to immerse in their culture through their arts and crafts.

The Kuala Lumpur (KL) Walk

Groufie (group picture) with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - With a height of 451.9m or 1,483ft and a floor area of 395,000m or 4,252,000 sq. ft. and is considered the tallest in the world from 1998 to 2004, The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia were designed by Argentine born American Architect Cesar Pelli. It took 3 years to build the twin towers from March 01, 1993 to March 06, 1996 and was Inaugurated 1999, This cost the Malaysian government a whopping $1.6billion US dollars, creating the towers made it the icon of Malaysia, sending thousands of tourists flocking to this superstructure yearly.

This is our second day in Malaysia, with the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government, Malaysia is one of 17 mega diverse countries on earth, being here brings us awe and excitement, for we are in one of the fastest growing ASEAN countries, Malaysia has a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multilingual society, for substantial influence exists from Chinese and Indian culture.

The fascinating view of Petronas Twin Towers at night

In the KL walk, we were given the freedom to roam and explore KL as it is, admiring the infrastructure and elegance of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, we get a feel of how it is to be in a place far from home, immerse in a culture strange to us, get lost and find ourselves in a vast environment so unfamiliar to ours, and get a taste of sumptuous cuisine which reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population.

We were also able to indulge ourselves into the impressive visual artworks exhibited in the Galeri Petronas primarily dedicated to documenting and promoting works created by Malaysian artists. It also serves to nurture greater public appreciation of visual arts, especially Malaysian artwork. The Galeri Petronas is located in Suria KLCC and has easy access to the public with no admission charge, enabling it to inculcate a deeper public appreciation and interest in art. The gallery is also the custodian of the PETRONAS Art Collection, acknowledged by Malaysian art historians as among the most comprehensive and relevant collections of 20^th century Malaysian art.

Below are some of the artworks exhibited in the Galeri Petronas.

Indeed it was a memorable and exciting walk for us for we were able to awaken our senses and it made us realize how diverse our world is. 

Day 3: Workshop on Culture Diversity

TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE, KUALA LUMPUR - Our group left IYC at eight (8) past in the morning to attend the cultural diversity workshop at the Teacher Training Institute in Kuala Lumpur. We were warmly received by the cultural music ensemble of the Institute by playing one of their cultural music performances called pacak – usually performed as a group accompanied by percussion instruments and is commonly played on special occasions such as wedding, escorting VIPs on special events, among others.

The TTI music group welcomes the MIYE delegates.

We gathered ourselves in the function room observing the place and quite clueless to what it had in store for us. The TTI Director delivered her welcome remarks and after that we were divided into three (3) groups--joget, kompang and pacak. Each group went to their designated rooms where we could practice the traditional Malay performance that we have to perform. Marisse, KC and Jesse we in the pacak group while Raymond and Tina were both part of the kompang group. It seemed that everybody enjoyed this part as we were taught on how to play a Malay percussion instrument that are actually quite similar to what we have in the southern Philippines yet new to us  as it was the first time we had the chance to play such instrument.

Below are some of the various highlight photos and videos on that day.

The Philippine delegates pose as they hold Malay percussion instrument.

The joget group

The pacak group

Group photo

Malaysia National Youth Day Celebration

UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA, SERDANG, MALAYSIA - The main event of Hari Belia Negara 2016 (or "National Youth Day" in English) was the ceremony conducted in Universiti Putra Malaysia. Large banners and colorful signs showed the event title and the theme "The Future Is Now", which was chosen to highlight the youth's contributions in the present.

A web article estimates that roughly 10,000 young people attended the event which featured Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the guest of honor. Amidst much cheering, DPM Zahid promised to allocate at least RM 500 million for the youth entrepreneurship fund and RM 10 million to be managed by the Malaysian Youth Council for youth activities. Opposite the hall where the ceremony was held, an open field played host to a large tent filled with student booths selling food and things. An area for food trucks was also provided to young entrepreneurs at no cost.

The delegates shake hands to the Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister 

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

It was an overwhelming gathering of Malaysian youth, but seeing the kind of investment the Malaysian government was willing to put in its young people was inspiring. While it started raining after the ceremony, that did little to dampen the spirits of those attending, and the young people's natural resilience and inclination for fun kept spirits high amidst the weather.

MIYE delegates during the National Youth Day celebration at the Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Putrajaya Walk

View from the Putrajaya International Convention Center (PICC)

PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA - Putrajaya is the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The government was shifted there in 1999 due to the congestion in Kuala Lumpur. It houses the Prime Minister as well as other administrative offices. More recently, it has become the home of Cyberjaya, something similar to the Silicon Valley in the United States. Thus, it seeks not only to be the federal administrative centre, but also the technological hub of the country.

Putrajaya boasts great architecture, most of it inspired by the different structures all around the globe. It houses different mosques, bridges, and buildings that are sure to amaze you.

The delegates went to different structures to enjoy the beauty of Putrajaya.

Delegates in Putrajaya Palace of Justice

Delegates in Putra Mosque

We ended the Putrajaya walk with a cruise to see the many different structures in Putrajaya and seeing how it is the one-stop shop of modern architecture!

Perdana Putra at night

Friendship Dinner

Cruise Tasik where the MIYE friendship dinner was held.

PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA - There was no better way to cap off the 2016 MIYE than through a beautiful dinner cruise through Putrajaya. Amidst the calm waters and the quiet city lights, delegates and VIPs were treated to a buffet while a guide provided a background on the different sights we passed. 

Putrajaya actually boasts of several remarkable architectural landmarks and bridges inspired by different countries, and viewing them from the cruise ship--all of them proudly alight-- was a magnificent experience. Dinner was a relaxed affair, all of the delegates just happy to exchange jokes and stories as the cruise ship wended its way through the lake spanning the city. 

Towards the end, Jason Lee, a fellow delegate from Malaysia and our host for that night, called on the representatives from each country to share something about their homeland and what they learned during the exchange. The common theme running through all of the representatives' sharing was how much they learned about Malaysia and other countries. But what we all found valuable was the friendship we formed in our brief but special time together. 

"Malaysia is a beautiful country, but what would keep us coming back would be the hospitality and warmth we experienced during our stay. The experience in MIYE has been a mix of the new and familiar. In spite of speaking different languages and having different cultures, we saw glimpses of the Philippines, of home, in them. This is a testament to our common ASEAN heritage, truly unity in diversity."

Below is the whole transcription of Tina's speech during the friendship dinner:

“Magandang gabi” that’s what we say in Filipino whenever it’s evening. To my fellow delegates and to the VIPs here, good evening! I want to thank first the organizers inviting us [to] this programme. Thank you so much for your kindness and hospitality. I know from what my fellow Filipinos are saying that we really feel the kindness and the warm welcome that you have given us. Thank you for making us feel-at-home and because of the friendship that you and everybody here, we feel like Malaysia is a place that we want to go back to again and again. Especially since we feel that we have a lot more to see here. Definitely we will be back and we will get in touch with you when we do.

Just to share a bit about my country, there is so much to tell I don’t know where to begin but maybe I could tell you through our names. So they say that you are talking to a Filipino when the name of that person is a combination of an American first name, a Spanish last name and a very native nickname. So for example, my name is Ana Kristina Hipolito. And then my fellow delegates would be Jesse Guinto or Raymond Fajardo. So it’s a great interesting combination and the reason behind that is because of our colonial past so for the longest time we were colonized by Spain for about 300 years and then the Americans came in and took over for about 50 years and after that that’s when we gain independence after World War II. So you could see the different legacies that each colonizer gave us for example the Spaniards they gave us our names also the religion where we are deeply Catholic. A lot of the traditional values like being family-oriented – it comes from the Spanish. Our fluency in English comes from the Americans so we do have a lot of western influences. We do watch a lot of western programs on TV that’s why we get to speak like this. But essentially we’ve taken all of that and mixed it up and we are Filipinos. So we’re not quite Spanish, we’re not quite American, we’re not quite Asian, but we’re a strange kind of mix. So the only way to get the feel of what a Filipino is when you actually interact with them. So I hope that you’ve gotten a bit of flavor from how we’ve been interacting. So that’s about my country. I hope you’ve got to visit it."

As the dinner drew to a close, delegates exchanged gifts and extended invitations for the others to visit their home country. It was bittersweet, but the thought of having a friend in a neighboring country--easily accessible through a flight!--was a comforting thought. That last day marked not the end, but rather the beginning.