CRDF Global Welcomes Filipino Journalists from Friends, Partners, Allies Program

CRDF Global was honored to welcome 10 Filipino journalists in April 2024 as part of the Department of State Friends, Partners, Allies (FPA) Program for Journalists. The 10 journalists were selected by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines to participate in the exchange program, which is designed to foster mutual understanding of the U.S.-Philippines bilateral relationship as #FriendsPartnersAllies.

The journalists arrived in Washington, D.C. over the weekend, giving them time to acclimate to the time change and take in a few key sites in the U.S. Capitol. The following Monday, they kicked off a very busy week with activities ranging from deep-dives into the Filipino-American legacy in the U.S. with Dr. Erwin Tiongson of Georgetown University, a meeting with Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and a meet and greet with the CEO of The PUSO Foundation. Later the group had the honor of meeting Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, and alumni of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) and many more. Along the way, these journalists filed stories and published their findings via their news outlets in the Philippines. The FPA visit to the D.C. area concluded with a reception held in honor of the visiting journalists at the CRDF Global office in Arlington, Virginia.

After departing DC, the FPA participants visited New York for discussions at the Philippine Center New York. From New York, they flew across the country to California, for a chance to speak to Filipino community leaders in California before making a final stop in Hawaii. The journalists documented their journey on Instagram at @fpajournph with frequent updates throughout their tour of the U.S.

CRDF Global would like to thank our partners at Global Ties San Francisco and Pacific Forum for your time and investing in this important program. To learn more about the cross-cultural experiences and insights gained by the journalists on their trip, we invite you to read their first-hand accounts at the following links: