WASHINGTON, D.C. — Dr. Cristina Liamzon, program coordinator of the Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) Program for Overseas Filipinos and their families, is one of the three recipients of this year’s Global Fairness Award.
Launched in 2010, the Global Fairness Award honors individuals who “highlight the power of bringing together top-down opportunity and bottom-up leadership to drive change”.
The Global Fairness Award is given by the Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), a not-for-profit international organization that “promotes a more equitable, sustainable approach to economic development, ensuring that benefits and prosperity are extended to all people, including the working poor.”
Dr. Liamzon has been a driving force behind the successful Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) Program for migrant Filipinos, a six-month empowerment and capacity building program to help overseas Filipinos become agents of change and social transformation, contributing not only to their own and their families’ well-being but also to their communities both in the host and home countries, as well as towards nation-building in the Philippines. Since 2008, the program has been conducted in 14 cities outside and in six cities in the Philippines with over 1,300 graduates.
“The LSE has helped empower the graduates and helped level the playing field for them, especially in terms of accessing resources and opportunities,” Dr. Liamzon said in her acceptance speech.
“It challenges each graduate to become a social innovator, a change-maker, making a positive difference wherever he or she may be. The stories that our graduates share are inspiring as they speak of becoming free from debt that prevents them from moving ahead financially. Or they start to save and invest for their future instead of squandering their money on their wants and consumerism…Our graduates talk about how they have been able to regain their self-confidence, to change their mindsets to being able appreciate that they, too, have leadership skills to develop and exercise in their families as well in the groups and communities they are in,” she added.
Philippine Embassy in Washington Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Minister Patrick Chuasoto, attended the awarding ceremony and extended warm congratulations to Dr. Liamzon.
“As the first Filipino to receive this prestigious award, Dr. Liamzon has become a source of pride and inspiration to our people. We are deeply grateful for her tireless efforts and vital contributions to the promotion of OFW welfare. We also recognize her role in fostering cooperation with government instrumentalities, including several Philippine Embassies and Consulates General in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. We hope that her example would encourage others to become partners for change,” Chuasoto said.
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) presented the Global Fairness Award to Dr. Liamzon. This year’s awardees also include Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Senior Adviser at Lazard and Chair of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and former Minister of Finance in Nigeria; and Ms. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Dr. Liamzon was accompanied by her husband, Mr. Edgardo Valenzuela, to the awarding ceremony recently held at the historic Howard Theater in Washington, D.C.