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PH embassy in D.C., Fil-Am group team up for summer camp

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Mary Estacion | TFC News Washington D.C.

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OFwW6_QPeBg?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. has teamed up with a group of educators in Maryland for a summer camp for Filipino-American children.&quot;No history, no self. Know history, know self.&quot; said Jaime Ascalon Jr., the deputy chief of mission at the embassy. &quot;This is why we are pursuing this program with the Filipino community.&quot;The special summer camp &quot;Silid Aralan sa Embahada&quot; (Classroom at the Embassy) teaches children as young as four through the help of volunteer teachers and parents.The program seeks to teach FilAms what it means to be a Filipino.&quot;History has always inspired me in a way,&quot; said Keir Martin Velarde, a student. &quot;I like to step back and take a look at my past before looking towards my future.&quot;The classes began in 2019 but has shifted virtually in the past years due to the coronavirus pandemic.&quot;I want to see kids growing up here, learning about their roots,&quot; said Malou Cadacio, president of the Unified Federation of Filipino American Educators - Maryland, &quot;especially those who are born here and promote themselves.&quot;Organizers work to bring something new to the table each session. The focus of the summer camp this year was on the indigenous people of the Philippines.&quot;As the world modernizes further, knowledge and tribes continue to be forgotten and neglected,&quot; said Hillard Puguon, an indigenous person from Ifugao. &quot;That’s the sad reality but I think there’s a need to instill the knowledge on these developing societies so we don’t forget how we came about.&quot;A closing ceremony was held at the embassy to thank the student participants who gave up a little of their summer vacation to attend the camp.

The special summer camp taught Fil-Am children through the help of volunteer teachers and parents.