A YOUNG man from San Jose, Antique has assumed his second three-year term as president of the New York City-based World Youth Alliance (WYA). Only 25 years old, Lord Leomer B. Pomperada – president since 2015 — has gone a long jump indeed in this international youth organization from his previous post in 2014 as its director for Asia Pacific.
WYA is a global coalition of young people, ages 10 to 30, committed to promoting the dignity of the human person. It trains young people to work at the regional and international levels in tandem with the United Nations. It operates in six regional offices, including its Asia Pacific office in Manila.
I first wrote about Pomperada in December 2013 when he was chosen as one of the 28 youth leaders nationwide who had passed the rigid screening for that year’s Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP); or one of the two youth ambassadors representing Metro Manila.
The privilege brought them in contact with 272 SSEAYP participants from other Asian nations on a 51-day cruise on board the ship Nippon Maru between October 28 and Dec. 16, 2013. The cruise, aimed at fostering friendship and greater understanding among participants, covered port calls in the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
Upon returning from that youth program, Leomer was offered the position of WYA-Asia Pacific regional director. That decision by the predominantly American board of directors was not really surprising; he had undergone internship in sign language there after college graduation in 2012. To this day, he can communicate with the deaf-mute.
During his time as regional director, he focused on greater membership engagement, strengthening existing WYA Clubs and Chapters, and establishing new ones in other countries. Moving forward, Lord envisions a coalition of young people who aren’t only dignity defenders but are also global change-makers. These are young people who contribute towards shared governance and nation building, and inspire the future generation of leaders.
Nonoy, as Lord Leomer is known at home, is the older of two sons born to Chief Engr. Leopoldo Pomperada (an overseas seaman) and Merlyn Bayombong Pomperada of San Jose, Antique.
Lord graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Consular and Diplomatic Affairs at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) in Manila. In his senior year, he was the president of the Corps of Diplomats and news editor of the Benildean Press Corps.
This writer personally visited Pomperada in his New York City office last June 5 and found him very busy exchanging notes with physicians who would be fielded for medical missions in summer camps. June is summer month in the United States’ East Coast.
Summer camps are among the potent programs of his office. He recalled that time when he gathered high school and college students at the University of the Philippines (Miag-ao, Iloilo campus) and enjoined them to participate in WYA Summer Camp at Palm Beach Resort, Batangas.
“The summer camp,” Pomperada said, “is designed to train participants to communicate articulately in the discourse of the dignity of the human person and develop a vocabulary with which to engage local and international communities on issues that impact policy and culture.”
The World Youth Alliance was founded in 1999 as a coalition of over 1,000,000 young people, ages 10 to 30, from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America who recognize that the intrinsic dignity of the human person is at the heart of society and the very foundation of peace, justice and human rights.
Congratulations, young man. We are proud of you. (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
