“In the end, it’s the people with good hearts working together in community that make the real difference.” - Rui Wang (2024, China) 

After previously exploring Boston and Wellington in the two Global Learning events, the 2024 EI Fellows reconvened in Cebu City, Philippines for Asia Trek. The programme from 3 to 10 August aimed to explore the application of health equity frameworks in the local context, return to comparing Southeast Asia’s diverse political and socioeconomic environment and develop concept notes for the Second Year Project.

The programme opened by setting the foundation and context for the rest of the week, with Dr Michael Tan providing a comprehensive history and overview to the Philippines. Discussing the cultural, economic, political and social landscape of the nation, the vibrant discussion covered the Philippines’ pre-colonial history and evolving through different phases of decolonisation up to today. The next segment continued to build on Fellows’ understanding of local context with a deep dive into the Philippine justice system and juvenile welfare. Our invited speakers from the Commission of Human Rights shared their experiences and insights on the justice system and working with the government to provide checks and balances.

With the contextual knowledge in mind, Fellows continued their Asia Trek journey by going on two site visits over the subsequent days. At the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), our Fellows observed how their services - including healthcare, education and vocational training - contribute to the rehabilitation of inmates. They also witnessed the real challenges faced such as overcrowding. The visit on Correctional Practices and Challenges was a perfect opportunity for Fellows to reflect and draw parallels across previous sessions, such as the visit to the correctional facility in New Zealand for Global Learning I.

The visit to the coastal mangroves in the municipality of Sibonga, was an opportunity for Fellows to speak to fisherfolk communities about how their livelihood is being affected by climate change as well as political-economic development. Through these conversations as well as visits to local schools and the Pestales agricultural farm with community-led, self-sustaining farming initiatives, each interaction developed a greater understanding on the realities of Climate Change for Equity. 

Shifting gears towards a regional view, our hosts at Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided their insightful perspective as a key regional stakeholder supporting sustainable development, through a twin focus on climate change resilience and universal health coverage. At Changes and Continuity in Southeast Asian Economies and Politics, Professor Kitti Prasirtsukis followed up from his session on Southeast Asia at the Opening Retreat, going deeper to focus on both historical and current developments shaping social inequities in the region. 

Local leaders and practitioners working on equity issues also offered a chance to provide real-world nuance and a space for Fellows to ask deeper questions. Senator Risa Hontiveros, a leading advocate for social justice in the Philippines, hosted an inspiring session to share her journey in public service, addressing health disparities through legislative efforts and engaging communities. Erosion of Law: Drug War Impact with Karen Dumpit & Gideon Lasco (2019, Philippines) provided valuable perspectives on reform efforts while encouraging Fellows to pursue collaboration and sharing of resources, knowledge and expertise across countries in the region in solidarity around common goals and missions. 

These sessions and all of the reflections from their journey so far supported our Fellows’ Second Year Project Development, with time dedicated throughout the entire week providing space for each Fellow to define the key health equity issue they want to address, form like-minded groups and unpacking the root causes of each issue to develop an initial concept note. As each project takes shape, we’ll hear more at the upcoming Project Accelerator.

Spanning two distinct regions in the Philippines, Asia Trek drew to an end in Manila with a farewell dinner including the opportunity to catch up with other senior Fellows in the city. As Rui Wang (2024, China) reflected at the end of the week, no matter the different issues, organisations and contexts we’ve seen throughout the Fellowship, it is always “people with good hearts working together…that make the real difference.” – a perfect way to wrap up Asia Trek and look forward to our next learning event in Malaysia with Project Accelerator.