When I was invited to sit as a judge for the recently-concluded The Impact Challenge on ANC, I thought I had a fair idea of what awaited me: presentations, pitches, and perhaps, a few polished decks. What I didn’t expect was the sheer energy of young enthusiastic Filipinos turning ideas into working solutions in just 70 days. It reminded me that innovation doesn’t always come from boardrooms or design studios. Oftentimes, it comes from the ground up.
As chairman and founder, together with my partner Jojo Leviste of Italpinas Development Corporation ((DC), my daily work revolves around developing buildings and communities. But here, I saw young people designing futures—not with concrete and steel, but with mangroves, mobile rehab hubs, and literacy programs. They weren’t just solving problems but actually reimagining what resilience looks like in their own communities.
The scale of the competition was impressive. From 78 submissions nationwide, 21 youth organizations were shortlisted—three per Rotary Area of Focus, each with a proven track record of community work. Across seven episodes, these finalists pitched live and unscripted before panels drawn from the very top of their fields. It was a masterclass in accountability and vision.
I was invited to judge the episode on Protecting the Environment, where participants pitched initiatives addressing sustainability and conservation. Together with leaders from the environmental and Rotary communities, I evaluated each proposal based on innovation, feasibility, sustainability, and potential for long‑term community impact. Listening to young Filipinos present projects like mangrove planting reminded me that sustainability is being redefined at the grassroots level.
One winner per Area of Focus received a P100,000 grant and exactly 70 days to turn a proposal into proof. Each team was assigned a Supreme Mentor from the Rotary Club of San Juan Supreme, who traveled across provinces—sometimes journeys of 12 hours by bus, ferry, and tricycle—to guide implementation on the ground. More than a competition, it was a national experiment in youth‑led service.
The two‑part live finale on ANC last month brought all seven winners back to present their results to the judges and a live audience. The season closed with the naming of the first‑ever Impact Challenge Grand Winner: the team judged to have delivered the greatest measurable impact, sustainability, community ownership, and use of funds.
That grand winner was Rotaract Club of Cebu Fuente’s Sug Kusog Hub. This mobile rehabilitation program brought therapy services directly to barangays, serving 64 patients with the help of 81 volunteer therapists. It was adaptive infrastructure at its finest: a clinic on wheels, meeting people where they are. For their achievement, they received an additional P100,000 grant, the opportunity to apply for a Rotary Global Grant, and even a symbolic overnight stay at Edsa Shangri‑La. More than the prizes, though, it was the lives changed that mattered most.
I want to extend my congratulations not only to the grand winner but to all the youth organizations that pitched and implemented their projects. Each team showed courage, creativity, and discipline. The Impact Challenge was not just a showcase of ideas as it invested real money and mentorship into youth‑led solutions, ensuring they were not only imagined but implemented with tangible results.
Let me mention all the Focus Areas and the seven winners here, because each deserves recognition.
- Disease Prevention & Treatment (Grand Winner): Sug Kusog Hub by Rotaract Cebu Fuente — mobile rehab services for underserved patients.
- Environment: Kaya Natin! Youth – Macabebe’s Project LUNTAI — 1,000 mangroves planted with a 70% survival rate.
- Water & Sanitation: Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity’s Project H2O — 33 portable water filters benefiting 2,400+ residents.
- Education: PASAMBAP’s Harmony in Service — 11 workshops for 219 young musicians, culminating in a concert.
- Local Economies: Tropang Alagad’s Project ARIANA — native chicken relay empowering 21 agripreneurs.
- Maternal & Child Health: Rotaract Pakil Baybay Premier’s Handa Na Si Nanay — multilingual maternal guidebook piloted for rollout.
- Peacebuilding: Center for Filipino Youth Volunteers’ Edukasyon para sa Kapayapaan — literacy and peace education for 50 displaced Mangyan children.
Each of these projects was a small but powerful intervention. Together, they impacted more than 11,000 lives, mobilized over 600 volunteers, and reached 10 communities. That’s no small feat, and it shows what happens when youth are trusted with resources and visibility.
I want to thank the Rotary Club of San Juan Supreme for inviting me to be part of this experience. Indeed, it was an honor to witness firsthand the passion and ingenuity of these youth leaders. Likewise, thanks to ANC for giving the competition a national platform with a wider reach. Without that visibility, these projects might have remained local stories. Instead, they became national conversations.
For me, the Impact Challenge was more than a competition. It was a reminder that property development and community development are inseparable. The spaces we build must serve the people who live in them, and sometimes the best ideas come from those very communities.
As I left the judging panel, I carried with me a renewed sense of optimism. The show confirmed my belief that the next generation is not just waiting for permission to lead. They are already building, planting, teaching, and healing. And if we in the property sector are wise, we will listen, support, and learn from them.
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