U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson recently participated in a workshop aimed at empowering content creators from Southeast Asia. The event, titled "Creators Co-Lab: Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Bootcamp for Digital Creators," took place in Manila from May 28 to June 1.
The workshop, organized by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines and Out of the Box Media Literacy Initiative, provided training on storytelling, digital safety, and brand development. Topics covered included artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and intellectual property protection. Notable speakers included food content creator Abi Marquez, journalist Jacque Manabat, and cybersecurity expert Carlos Ely Tiongson.
Participants also visited Microsoft and Meta offices in Manila to explore new tools in social media analytics and community-building. Among the attendees was Cambodian content creator Ping Ann Oung, who served as a mentor during the bootcamp.
The group consisted of 60 content creators from Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Collectively they have a following of over 15 million across various platforms.
At the closing ceremony on May 31st in Pasay City, Ambassador Carlson emphasized the significance of social media engagement. "Social media is no longer a nice-to-have item," she stated. "People of all ages are turning to social media for information."
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga and other officials attended the event alongside Filipino social media personalities.
Cambodian content creator Pireach Yin praised the bootcamp's sessions for enhancing digital skills and fostering leadership potential among participants. "I hope that the connections we’ve made... will stay with us long after this program is over," he remarked.
YSEALI is a U.S.-led initiative promoting leadership development among Southeast Asians aged 18-35 since its inception in 2013. The program aims to enhance civic engagement and entrepreneurship through educational exchanges and workshops like YSEALI Creators Co-Lab.
Participants will join an alumni network comprising nearly 7,000 members globally as part of their involvement with YSEALI programs.
For further details about YSEALI programs visit www.yseali.state.gov.