Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez meets with members of the 2026 IMPACT! cohort during their Washington, D.C. program. Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The newest Filipino American participants of the Philippine Embassy’s IMPACT! professional development program were welcomed in Washington during a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez.
Romualdez urged the students to pursue positions of influence, help empower the Filipino American community and strengthen connections with the Philippines.
“The Embassy is excited to introduce a new group of young Filipino-American talent to Washington through our annual IMPACT! program,” Romualdez said. “Filipino-Americans are a significant community in the United States, and it is our hope with such programs as IMPACT! to translate their outsize presence into positions of influence in this country.”
The 2026 IMPACT! cohort includes students whose undergraduate studies are in economics, legal studies, political science and public policy. The participants are:
Jasmine Lianalyn Rocha, Columbia University
Margaret Jane Piatos, University of Virginia
Reece Cynthia Roach, University of California, Berkeley
Spencer Smith, Yale University
During the courtesy call, the students also gathered insights from Romualdez on current events, Philippines-U.S. relations and the work of the Embassy.
Now in its seventh year, IMPACT! is a joint program of the Embassy and the US-Asia Institute aimed at preparing Filipino American university students and young graduates for future leadership roles and fostering stronger Philippines-U.S. relations.
Over the course of the nine-week program, participants are exposed to American politics and government through internships in Washington, D.C., while receiving mentorship and professional networking opportunities. This year’s participants will undertake internships with legislators in the U.S. Congress.
