For Immediate Release
Media Contact: communications@fylpro.org
Nov. 5, 2025
Filipino Young Leaders Program’s Tayo Awarded American Public Health Association Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus for Public Health’s 2025 Community Leader Award in Washington, D.C.
Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)’s Tayo project was honored with the American Public Health Association (APHA)’s Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus for Public Health (APIC) 2025 Community Leader Award on Nov. 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
The award recognizes Tayo’s outstanding dedication, leadership, and commitment to uplifting and empowering the Filipino/a/x community through public health advocacy, education, and engagement.
“Tayo’s work is an inspiring example of how community-centered initiatives drive meaningful impact,” 2025 APIC Awards Committee said in the selection of Tayo.
APIC represents the unique health issues and needs of the multi-lingual, multi-ethnic Asian and Pacific Islander populations. APIC’s mission is to advance the health and health equity of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, associated jurisdictions and the diaspora, in affiliation with the American Public Health Association.
The APIC 2025 Community Leader Award was presented to the Tayo team during the APIC Social at the APHA Annual Meeting. Tayo cofounders Leezel Tanglao, Mark Calaguas, Brian Tajo and Tiffany Batac and Tayo 2023 fellow Janeva Dimen were in attendance along with FYLPRO 2024 delegate Paulo Pontemayor and our partners from the Philippine Embassy and Consulate Generals in U.S., Deputy Chief of Mission Jaime Ramon T. Escalon Jr. and Second Secretary and Consul Mark Dominic E. Lim.
Thank you to FYLPRO 2014 delegate Ryyn Schumacher, Chief of Strategy and Communications/Public Information Officer for the Public Health Department at the County of Santa Barbara, who nominated Tayo for this award.
This is the second national award Tayo has received this year.
In August, Tayo received the 2025 AAPI Community Impact Award from the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) for amplifying and making space for the AAPI community with special focus on solutions and impact.
Tayo is an innovative data hub that empowers Filipinx/a/o communities by collecting data, fostering partnerships, publishing culturally relevant insights, and developing leaders to create an equitable and sustainable future.
Tayo provides vital, trustworthy, and culturally relevant information to help Filipinos navigate the information ecosystem. Tayo’s interdisciplinary leadership team is composed of journalists, doctors, attorneys, mental health professionals, creatives and technologists.
Tayo was developed by FYLPRO’s COVID-19 Task Force in the Fall of 2020 in response to the ongoing pandemic and to tackle the specific needs of Filipinos in the diaspora and back home. It was also known as the Caretaker project.
Today, Tayo has participated and led research projects and studies around mental health, heart health and vaccine hesitancy. In addition, Tayo works to continue to combat misinformation by publishing explainers and fact checks. Tayo is a member of the Asian American Disinfo Table (anchored by NCAPA), Tiny News Collective and NHLBI’s Healthy Hearts Network.
About Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)
FILIPINO YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM (FYLPRO) is a network of high performing, next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries.
We continually expand the pipeline of Filipino young leaders in the diaspora. By connecting them to the motherland, we foster collaborative multinational relationships that create innovations and support the socio-economic progress of the global Filipino community.
For more information:
About Tayo
Tayo, a project of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), is an innovative data hub that empowers Filipinx/a/o communities by collecting data, fostering partnerships, publishing culturally relevant insights, and developing leaders to create an equitable and sustainable future.
For more information, visit tayohelp.com.
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