Three (3) Negrosanon Young Leaders from Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute Incorporated are bound to represent the Province of Negros Occidental and the Philippines, in the upcoming Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic and Professional Fellowships to the United States this Spring 2023. 

Teodoro Angelo Villanueva, Coleen Awit, and John Rey Reyes of NYLI Inc. were selected among thousands of applicants all over the Philippines, to represent the country in the competitive YSEALI Academic and Professional Fellowships to the United States. 

Teodoro Angelo Villanueva will be joining the YSEALI Professional Fellowship for Economic Empowerment in the United States. He blazed the trail of youth empowerment in Negros Occidental as he co-founded the Youth Empowering Youth Initiative Incorporated and the Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute Incorporated. He is a secondary teacher at University of St. La Salle Bacolod and the Chief Executive Officer of Sagup Negros Inc. Ted is the current President of the Board of Trustees of NYLI Inc. He has his roots at Brgy. Poblacion, Valladolid, Negros Occidental.

Coleen Awit will be joining the YSEALI Academic Fellowship for Environmental Issues at University of Montana, Missoula. She is a locale of Isabela, Negros Occidental and currently the Advocacy and MEAL Manager of NYLI Inc. She is a graduate of University of St. La Salle Bacolod, conferred with a degree on Chemical Engineering. She was hired by the institute even before her graduation. Her advocacy work in climate-related activities has brought about meaningful spaces for climate-related interventions on just transition and food-waste mitigation in Bacolod City and the province of Negros Occidental. Coleen is among the champions of the youth-led Coal Free Movement in the Province.  

John Rey V. Reyes, a native of Brgy.1 Poblacion,  La Carlota City, Negros Occidental will be joining the YSEALI Academic Fellowship for Civic Engagement in Arizona State University. He is the Programs Coordinator of NYLI Inc., and the President of the Federated Negrosanon Young Leaders Alumni Association. His works were focused on providing meaningful spaces for women and LGBTQ+ fisherfolks in the province and actively taking part in policy advocacy and community development. He is a Registered Fisheries Professional who graduated at the University of the Philippines with a degree in Fisheries. 

Coleen and John Rey were graduates of the first Negrosanon Young Leaders Summit 2017 that was directed by Ted Villanueva in January of the same year supported by the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental. Three of them have been at the forefront of the institute’s programs and advocacies over the past years in ensuring that children, young people and their families are provided with meaningful spaces to collectively address the issues that confront them and their communities. 

The YSEALI Academic and Professional Fellowships is a program of the United States Department of State that provides young leaders with a deeper understanding in advocacy work and enhancing their leadership skills and promotes cross-border cooperation to solve ASEAN and global challenges through a 5-week fellowship in the United States. 

With pride, we will be sending our confidence and our humble works to the United States as they come back working for the institute’s vision for a better and a sustainable Negros Occidental.