Meet the New Executive Board of YouthHack Manila

It’s quite surreal to think that it has been three years since YouthHack was born. As the inaugural chapter, YouthHack Manila has been on such an exciting journey of growth. The past cycle has been marked by a series of experiments and trying to really see what would work best for the organization. It has definitely been a learning experience, leading us to clearly define where YouthHack Manila stands in the Philippine startup culture, and where we want to go.

As we redefined YouthHack’s intent, we wanted our participants to value their journey by focusing on two aspects: education and action. The past cycle was comprised of staple YouthHack events, but we also tried to embrace the innovation we ever so passionately strive to empower. Events were carried out with more focus on sustainability and impact. Case in point: the rebranding of Startup Challenge to Ideathon. Apart from the attempt to sound a bit friendlier, we aimed to capitalize on the potential of the youth to ideate in line with the theme of Sustainable Development. With this, we were able to encourage more ideas in line with a particular cause or advocacy that contributes to society-building.

This year, YouthHack culminates these three years of growth with its first international event — the YouthHack Asia Startup Summit. The YouthHack Asia Startup Summit is a student-focused conference on building student startup communities for 30 student delegates from across Asia. The event was held in Manila, Philippines last July 27–31. The vision of this conference is for these students to take the lead in spreading the startup culture to their own communities. With mentors from various sectors, workshops, and dialogues, the conference became a platform for international collaboration, cultural exchange, and awareness towards action. The YouthHack Asia Startup Summit was co-organized by student startup organizations and communities in Manila.

The culture of growth was evident not only in terms of participant reach, but also in terms of our core team. We encouraged our members to really own the projects they were set on working on, by allowing them to carry out the events on their own. With the learning they experienced, we couldn’t be any prouder of them. Both the successes and the mistakes made served to be crucial in defining how the future will go. After a series of experimentations, we are more ready to stabilize operations and be more critical of the way YouthHack Manila impacts the sector it commits to serve. With this, the outgoing Executive Board is excited to leave the organization in the hands of some of the brightest people that have stepped up to take on the challenge of leading a couple of individuals committed to serving the youth (trust us, it isn’t easy).

The adventure continues on with the new Executive Board spearheaded by Chapter President, Philippe Bungabong and his Vice Presidents (VPs): Bianca Bravo, Angelica Sinay, Miguel De Leon, and Alannah Mitra. Each one of the new executive board members has their own strengths that will complement each other’s individual skills.

PHILIPPE BUNGABONG

President

philippe@youthhack.net

Philippe is a natural-born leader who has been in YouthHack Manila since 2015. His personal experiences both within and outside the organization dealt him the hand of both failure and success, making him an excellent, understanding, and fair leader. His relationships with the outgoing executive board will provide him with invaluable insight about the organization’s vision and mission as well as its operations.

BIANCA BRAVO

VP for Externals

bianca@youthhack.net

Bianca is the incoming VP for Externals and an incoming Management Engineering freshman at Ateneo de Manila University. She discovered YouthHack Manila through the 2016 Startup Challenge in Asian Institute of Management. Bianca is a cheerful social butterfly who was trained to spot opportunities as they appear in casual conversations by our very own Pau Joquino (outgoing VP of Community). Her greatest asset is her authentic affable personality.

MIGUEL DE LEON

VP for Finance

mdeleon@youthhack.net

We also have Miguel De Leon, the incoming VP for Finance. Miguel is a Management Engineering Junior from Ateneo de Manila University who heard about YouthHack through Mika Go Tiong (our outgoing chapter head) and Pau Joquino. Through engaging Miguel in conversation, we discovered his fascination of the macro financial systems as well as his pragmatism when it comes to financial matters. Given the skills he gained, his interest in the world of finance, and his ability to adapt and learn quickly, Miguel was clearly the perfect choice for the position.

ANGELICA SINAY

VP for Logistics

sinay@youthhack.net

Following Miguel is Angelica Sinay, the incoming VP forLogistics. Sinay is a high school senior from PAREF Woodrose and has been with YouthHack Manila since January 2016. Procuring materials and venues is no easy feat, but the often overlooked aspect of her job is the human capital. Apart from her hustling to equip YouthHack with its needs, Sinay’s open curiosity will brew a variety of interesting questions. In turn, she can inspire those around her to chase after answers.

ALANNAH MITRA

VP forMarketing

hmitra@youthhack.net

Last but not the least, we have Alannah Mitra, the incoming VP for Marketing. Alannah is a BFA Information Design sophomore from Ateneo de Manila University who joined the organization in October 2016 as a member of the Externals department. However, through continuous collaboration with Joaquin Astilla, YouthHack Manila’s outgoing VP for Marketing, she became familiar with the organization’s branding and aesthetic. When she took on the role of YouthHack Fest 2017’s Creative Director, she proved to everyone in the team that her passion and creativity flow beyond her canvas.

It’s going to be an exciting new year with these new leaders. We can’t wait to for the YouthHack community to share in this new cycle of learning! Together, we’re confident that the new board can bring the organization to a higher level.

The new YouthHack Manila Executive Board during their first meeting