Lambo is a Visayan term meaning to boom (v.); flourish (v.); and/or thrive (v.), it essentially means to grow. That is the mindset and theme that the Cebu hub had chosen to internalize in celebrating a decade of shaping Cebu.

And what better way to kick of a 10 year anniversary than with a panel discussion from the men and women that have most greatly contributed to the success of our hub, our past curators. We were honored to have the presence of four past curators (and video messages from 2 others) to participate in our Curators Circle. The insights offered by Mr. Franco Soberano, Ms. Anya Lim, and Mr. Mel Yan, all of whom served as Curators during the hub’s foundational years, gave great insight into what it means to be a Shaper and Curator, and what it means to help develop a better Cebu. We were also joined by Ms. Pat Loren, who was Curator during the COVID pandemic and gradual opening up, where she shared the difficulties and opportunities of adapting the hub to the new normal.

Our Curators Circle was made all the more special with video messages from our past Curator Dr. Maan Ting, as well as a video message from our founding Curator Mr. Jay Aldeguer, CEO of the Islands Group.

Of course the Cebu hub wouldn’t a Global Shapers hub without hub projects. And over the years we’ve implemented a number of different projects, all under our core pillars of C.E.B.U.:

• Citizenship Engagement – encourage active and selfless Cebuano youth in promoting positive change.
• Environmental Conservation – promote long term solution to environmental problems.
• Business Development – support businesses to start, grow, and increase community footprint.
• Universal Education – develop more informed citizens contributing to community developing, becoming the change they want to see in the world.

During Lambo we showcased the history of the hub through the lens of the projects we’ve implemented.

We also took this opportunity to invite some of the key stakeholders, beneficiaries, and partner implementors for some of our more notable past projects for a Couch Talks. Carlo Chen-Delantar and Charm de Leon-Luga are both current shapers that have played instrumental roles in some of our key projects in the past. Whereas Jessica Resch has been a partner and supporter of our previous projects. And we were very honored to have Jude Gitamondoc and Jovie Montajes, previous beneficiaries of our entrepreneurship projects join us to share their experiences.

But Lambo isn’t only a celebration of our past accolades. It is also the launch of two new projects that we will be bringing into our 10th year. Lunsad is a new project that aims to equip graduates of TESDA-accredited baking and cooking programs with the necessary entrepreneurship and business skills needed to capitalize on their newly gained skills. Whereas Libro aims to further increase the accessbility of reading and learning materials to underprivileged children in our home city of Cebu.

Lambo was an anniversary that sought to look back at all that we have accomplished so far, but also one that sought to re-commit the Cebu hub in working towards a better and more vibrant Cebu. We celebrate all that we have accomplished so far, but we are very much still aware of the work that still needs to be done.

But for now, on behalf of the hub, we wanted to give a sincere Thank You to everyone that attended our 10th year anniversary, a sincere Thank You to everyone that has supported our projects in the past, a sincere Thank You to everyone that will support our projects in the future, and of course a sincere Thank You to the Shapers whom volunteer their time, resources, and expertise to make everything we do possible. Building a better and more vibrant society takes a community, and its a community that we feel is very much present here in Cebu.