PHILIPPINES, APRIL 18, 2011 – Black Eyed Peas member Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr, better known by his stage name, apl.de.ap, dons on the iconic black square-rimmed glasses and yellow ribbon as he is named iamninoy-iamcory Movement’s Special Ambassador for Education.
Iamninoy is McCann Philippines’ award-winning campaign for the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) launched in August 2008, which aims to deepening youth engagement in change initiatives focused in five areas: governance, livelihood, education, environment and health.
The approach of the campaign was to surface the hero inside young Filipinos, thereby making it easy for them to relate to the life he led and to the values he stood for. Part of the proceeds from buying iamninoy merchandise are donated to advocacies and beneficiaries of their choice.
After former President Cory Aquino passed on in August 2009, the campaign evolved into the iamninoy-iamcory movement adding a new phase to the whole campaign until recently, the Grammy award-winning musician was named as Special Ambassador for Education.
"They have briefed me on the nature and magnitude of the problems facing the Philippine education system, and on the programs they have lined up to address some of the most fundamental of these problems,” said apl.de.ap.
As someone who grew up in Sapang Bato, Angeles City, Pampanga, apl had experienced the hardships of working for the family and at the same time trying to attend school under circumstances of poverty. apl.de.ap would make an hour-long jeepney trip to and from school, and helped his family subsist by farming sweet potatoes, corn, sugar cane and rice — experiences reflected on his songs such as Mama Filipina and the Apl song.
"I still cherish my Pinoy roots and I would like to give back whatever I can to the land of my birth. The best way to do that, I feel, is by creating opportunities for young Filipinos," explains apl.
apl has always incorporated his Filipino culture into his collaborations with the Blacked Eyed Peas and recently launched his singles namely You Can Dream, Mama Filipina, and Take Me to the Philippines which was in partnership with the Department of Tourism of the Philippines.
His recent activities on charity work intend to focus his efforts on closing the huge gap in public school classrooms and on establishing libraries and computer libraries in schools, starting with the schools he attended in Angeles, Pampanga.
In November 18, 2008, he launched the Apl Foundation to help various communities and children within the Philippines and throughout Asia.
"Mr. Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr. has found the Filipino hero in himself and has consented to be the iamninoy-iamcorySpecial Ambassador for Education. Perhaps, it is providential that his birthday falls on November 28, a day after that of Ninoy Aquino. This tells me that he is destined to help us take the Filipino brand of heroism to the next level," ended Rafael C. Lopa, president and executive director of NCAF.
