The Philippine Global Explorers (PGE) held its first Grand Annual Meet-Up at The Palms Country Club in Alabang on December 27, 2022. PGE Chairman and President Riza Rasco opened the event with the 2022 General Annual Meeting, participated by both in-person and virtual attendees.
The General Annual Meeting covered approval of the 2021 General Annual Meeting Minutes, Chairman´s Report, Treasurer´s Report, Approval of the Amendments to the PGE Bylaws and the induction of 53 new PGE official members.
Riza Rasco highlighted PGE´s achievements in 2022 and shared its strategic priorities for 2023. Masterclass sessions were led by Riza Razco and Dondon Bales in the afternoon.
In Riza´s masterclass “Finding Your Superpower,” she shared her experiences from a trip to the Amazon, where she was adopted by an indigenous family.
Dondon Bales demonstrated the use of Artificial Intelligence in travel storytelling in his masterclass “The Art & Science of Storytelling Your World Travels.”
PGE merchandise like caps, shirts and hoodies were initially released for purchase at the Grand Annual Meet-Up. Books by authors Odette Ricasa and Dondon Bales were also available for purchase at the event.
The gala dinner themed Pinoy fiesta featured a variety of Filipino cuisine. Ann Virtuzado emceed the program and some PGE members from around the world sent their video greetings. The program included an interview with Odette Ricasa, games and raffles, and the highlight of the evening – the PGE Awards Ceremony, hosted by Justin Barao and Dondon Bales.
Awards were broken into three categories:
- Recognition of Travel Conference Speakers
- Recognition of Official Members with Travel Milestones
- PGE Travel Awards
PGE Vice Chairman Attorney Jimmy Buhain concluded the event with his closing remarks.
Thank you to the hard work and dedication of the officers and members of the Membership Committee, Business Development Committee, and Operations Committee particularly Riza Rasco, Rambi Francisco, Sheena Shroff, Dan Sarte, Ann Virtudazo, Justin Barao and Dondon Bales for making the Grand Annual Meet-Up for 2022 a successful and memorable experience for all.
