Filam moderates Clinton Global Initiative

NEW YORK – Filipino American BBC World News Anchor Rico Hizon has the distinction of moderating former President Clinton’s Global Initiative meeting here last month. This was the second time that Clinton invited Hizon to moderate the meeting. The first was in Hong Kong on Climate change.

In moderating the New York last month, Hizon facilitated the Emerging Markets session with renowned guest speakers President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico, the World Bank’s chief economist Justin Lin, and Nobel Prize Winner for Climate Change Rajendra Pachauri, together with President Clinton as the Guest of Honor.

“For me, both as an individual and in my professional capacity, these were two events I will never forget. The first invitation was an honor and the second a privilege. And in an event of this magnitude, not only am I representing my network, but more importantly raising the Philippine flag,” Hizon said.

During the four-day conference, he met and spoke with Hollywood celebrities, activists, policy experts, generals, CEOs, and everyday people working tirelessly at non-profit groups and NGOs in countries around the world.

“From them, I received a first class education, listening, as some of the world’s brightest and most committed people argued and agreed on new ways to solve the most pressing problems, from global education to climate change,” Hizon said.

In President Clinton’s one-page invitation letter to Hizon, he said, “You were such a wonderful addition to our program in Hong Kong and we hope you will be able to join us once again, and serve as moderator at the Emerging Markets panel session, on September 22. We’d be delighted if you could lend your voice to this timely discussion.”

Before the session started, Hizon got his chance to speak with the President. “I was fortunate to chat with him, despite always being surrounded by numerous admirers and secret service agents. We exchanged views about climate change, the state of the US economy, and how he succeeded in freeing two American journalists from North Korea. Our conversation ended when he shook my hand and thanked me for being part of the CGI, and said that it was great to have an Asian voice in the discussions,” he said.

In representing the Philippines in his own little way, Hizon described what he wore. “I wanted to show everyone that I was Filipino amongst the global crowd, so I made it a point to wear a special edition “I am Ninoy yellow and black tie” and a Philippine flag pin on my jacket lapel on the first day. On the second day, I wore a Rhett Eala Black Barong Tagalog with a Philippine map embroidered on the top left corner. It really stood out and people asked where it was made. I told them it was Philippine made,” he said proudly.

During his short stay in New York, most of the time at conference site at the Sheraton Hotel on 7th Avenue, Hizon personally spoke with some of Hollywood’s top stars-from Jessica Alba to Matt Damon and Michelle Yeoh, to basketball great Dikembe Mutombo. He too shook the hands of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutchner.

“I felt really proud for not only being a Filipino but also representing Asia, and what really made my day was when I was told by CGI organizers that I was the only moderator flown in from Asia, and the only Asian to moderate a plenary or a sub-plenary session. It was truly an honor because I was among respected news personalities in the US broadcasting industry, such as ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, NBC Meet the Press host Tom Gregory, and CNBC’s top business news anchor Maria Bartiromo,” he said.

What makes the Clinton Global Initiative fulfilling to many people is that it is an action-oriented mission to effect positive changes on a global scale and create an “integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values.”

The annual meetings have brought together former and present heads of states, Nobel Prize laureates, top CEOs, philanthropists, non-governmental organizations, and international media organizations resulting in 1,400 commitments valued at $46 billion and impacting 200 million lives in 150 countries.
“I am very blessed to be part of these very important events, as people from all over world unite to share and give. And never a day goes by that I do not thank God for all the blessings he has given me and my family,” he said.

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