I’m not sure what prompted me to try to negate all these notions of mine that everything has become worse, not just the climate, not just the state of the environment, not just the conditions in the wild, which we have tamed to our own detriment, not just in terms of our shrinking attention span and our diminishing ability to remember things, but life in general.
Over the past decade or so, for instance, there’s been a campaign against the youth, which in general have been lambasted as selfish (me, me, me), narcissistic (selfie generation, #OOTD, indulgent (YOLO), easily offended, weak, and unable to handle pressure (snowflake), disloyal (the Big Quit, quiet quitting), and combative and divisive (woke, cancel culture).
It’s easy to feel cynical about life nowadays. Despite evidence of progress, we feel we are all going downhill, but it’s not that black and white. I read somewhere that while, across the world, people are generally divided on whether life now is better or worse than before, Americans, who still have great influence on global public opinion, are some of the most pessimistic, six out of 10 of whom, according to a Pew survey conducted in April 2023, thought that for people like them, such as 72 percent of Republicans, life was better 50 years ago.
Fret not, I’m sure it’s all a matter of perspective.
Which is why it was a breath of fresh air to have witnessed the launch of the 2024 Tatler Asia’s Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow. It’s a list of trailblazing entrepreneurs, investors, celebrities, social media superstars, Olympians, business executives, inventors, and civic advocates from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
In this an annual roster that recognizes under 40 influential personalities, over 200 of them, making a positive impact and leading the change in Asia, 35 Filipinos have landed a spot, some of whom are dear friends.
There’s Chris Nick de los Reyes, a fashion designer who’s carving a niche uniquely his own and, in the process, putting Philippine glitz and glamour on the world map. There’s Amado Fores, considered a Food and Beverage prodigy, who has shown a knack for growing a restaurant empire. Other Filipinos leading the pack of Filipino honorees are Abi Marquez also known as the “Lumpia Queen,” who spotlights the intricacies of Filipino cuisine on the international stage, Joaquin Pedro Valdes, a Filipino theater actor who is making waves in London’s West End, Christophe Bariou, a dedicated vegan and animal rights advocate, Dean Bernales of Uniquecorn Strategies, who is shaping a positive narrative for the Philippine startup ecosystem, gymnast-Olympian Aleah Finnegan, and GoTyme Bank CEO Nate Clarke.
The recognition was made based on metrics, such as business growth (customers, revenue, volume, etc.), fundraising success, disruptive products or services, expanded geographical impact, and respected industry awards. Collectively, according to Tatler, “this year’s winners have raised $461 million and amassed a combined following of 21 million.” Celebrity host Tim Yap and Franco Varona of Foxmont Capital Partners represented the Philippines in this year’s international panel of judges.
For us Filipinos, this list of Asia’s changemakers are at least 35 more reasons to see life as better now than ever, with more and more young people being given the opportunity to apply the idealism of youth on the quest for a better, brighter future.
But there are 200 reasons in total on this list alone—200 people who have made life better for themselves and who knows how many more people, and all of them under 40 years of age.
“These aren’t just names on a list,” according to a Tatler press release. “They’re over 200 passionate souls, each embodying the very best of what Asia has to offer.”