Outstanding Alumni Jo-Dann N. Daron joins the 2025 International Visitor Leadership Program in Washington

Photo obtained from DTI Philippines

Foundation University Outstanding Alumni and DTI Director III Jo-Dann N. Darong of the Bureau of Competitive Development, also Acting Deputy Executive Director of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council Secretariat, joined seven other emerging ASEAN leaders in the 2025 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). Held from May 31 to June 21, the premier three-week U.S. State Department exchange brought participants to Washington, D.C., New Hampshire, Georgia, and Washington State for high-level dialogues on global stability, democratic governance, legal cooperation, regional security, sustainable development, and trade policy.

The IVLP opened in Washington, D.C. with briefings at the U.S. Department of State and the US-ASEAN Center at Arizona State University. Mr. Darong noted the relevance of the Center’s work in strengthening ties between the U.S. and Southeast Asia, especially as the Philippines prepares to chair the ASEAN council in the following months. Early sessions introduced key topics in American governance, including a comprehensive discussion on federalism and the separation of powers led by Professor Jeremy Mayer of George Mason University.

During the next few days, participants met with policy experts from several U.S. government offices. These included the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; the Office of Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technologies; and the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Mr. Darong and the delegation engaged with the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, where private sector cooperation was given full due. At the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), they explored maritime policy and regional security. The exchange helped clarify the complex role of ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific and raised important questions about sovereignty, diplomacy, and multilateral strategy. The following day, they would meet in New Hampshire, where the focus shifted to state-level governance. The group visited the New Hampshire Supreme Court, observed local administrative processes, and toured the State House. Community immersion was not deficient, and the delegates toured a soup kitchen, a cultural exchange day, and home hospitality with local families.

The Georgia visit eventually opened with legal scholars at Emory University, including public officials at One Atlanta and researchers at the Carter Presidential Center. Mr. Darong and the rest of the delegation examined how civil rights history shaped public memory and law. Cultural visits included a short trip to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center and the World of Coca-Cola Museum.

The 20-day program concluded in Washington State with sessions on economic planning and cross-border collaboration. Visits to the Washington Small Business Development Center and the Pacific Northwest Economic Region gave participants a close look at how state-level strategies support innovation and trade. Literary and academic visits capped the final days, where Mr. Daron and the delegation visited the Hugo House and the Suzzallo Library.

Throughout the exchange, Mr. Darong met with policy experts, legal scholars, business leaders, and civic organizers. Each visit offered clear insight into the institutions and cultural habits that guide public life in the United States. The IVLP provided a grounded view of how American systems function across local, state, and federal levels. It also created space for ongoing dialogue with peers from Southeast Asia, focusing on how shared experiences might support future cooperation in the region. The experience will inform Mr. Darong’s ongoing work in regional development and cultural policy as he heads the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council Secretariat. According to him, the IVLP program “...was exceedingly enlightening, offering valuable insights into the operational systems of the United States, the intricacies of international cooperation, and the development of civic leadership.”