by Mahid Macadato, YES 2005, Philippines

One of the activities held during the two-day visit to Manila last month of US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was a forum with student leaders, campus journalists, bloggers and selected media guests at the National Museum last Nov. 16, 2011.

The US Embassy in Manila, together with a news network, invited a sampling of the youth, bloggers, online personalities and celebrities to a forum dialogue discussion entitled "US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Conversation in Manila," which was aired live on GMA News TV and live streamed on GMA News Online.

At the beginning of the show, I was randomly asked by one of the hosts, "What Filipino food would you like Secretary Clinton to try?" I replied, "First I would like to take her to Mindanao (the southern island of the Philippines), Mindanao is a beautiful place, I am from there. And then she would get the chance to taste an authentic Maranao food."

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I was very fortunate enough to have been invited, representing the alumni of US government programs, to what was tagged as a “ground breaking” event. According to the US Embassy, it was a first for the US State Department to allow cellphones to be brought in an event. It was also the first time they are doing this format: using social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, Skype, etc, together with a town-hall style interview and discussion.

The forum covered a wide range of topics that included the European debt crisis, US immigration policy, human trafficking, Philippine economic growth, social media, Mrs. Clinton’s political future, and her views about work-life balance.

"We are in the age of participation," Sec. Clinton says. She recognizes the role of youth, and the new media and social media we are using to change the game. She says the youth now have the "power of the individual," to start your own movements, outreach, and participate in discussions, make governments accountable, and make real changes in society.

One thing I admired most was her optimism towards the Philippines. She said she sincerely believes that it is the Philippines time, but there has to be changes, such as more investment in education, among others. The forum ended with a challenge from Secretary Hillary Clinton to Filipinos, "What can you do to help the Philippines?"

After the forum, most of us, invited guests, rushed to the stage for a chance to shake hands with the woman whom Forbes magazine has named the second most powerful in the world, next only to Germany&rsquo;s Angela Merkel.</p>

The one-hour informal forum ended in an upbeat mood, in contrast to more serious and formal press conferences where Sec. Clinton is peppered with policy questions. For the mostly young audience in the room, it was a rare chance to get to know a world leader up close.