The First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) Basic Education School (BES) brought the popular tourist guide John Paul Hernandez, a.k.a. the “Traveling Salakot” to its school in Batangas in a talk on 5 February 2024 with the theme “Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan.” It was conducted in line with the 125th celebration of the 1st Republic of the Philippines.

The learning event was a partnership with the Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed), a joint project of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Asia Foundation. It aims to increase the civic engagement of youth to strengthen their participation in democratic governance.

Hernandez, meanwhile, is a social science professor by profession and a popular cultural advocate in his spare time. He is recognized for wearing his “salakot,” a dome-shaped local native hat, while providing free tour guides and history lessons to people.

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