HOW HAVE you contributed to this country?—a simple question, but a difficult one to answer, nonetheless. While it would take a while for most to answer the question, it shouldn’t take Harvey Keh too long to respond.
He is the co-founder of Pathways to Higher Education (Pathways), Executive Director and co-founder of Acts for Hope for the Nation (AHON) foundation, and the Director for Youth and Social Entrepreneurship of the Ateneo School of Government. In 2010, Keh also added the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award to his already long list of accolades.
“An Atenean should learn how to give back. If you don’t, given what you have had, then that will be selfishness,” Keh said.
He added that Ateneans are presented with lots of opportunities that they should share with others. “After graduation, a lot of companies will want an Atenean and they will really give high pays for their jobs. But one of the first things that you have to consider is how you are going to contribute to this country.”
Emphasizing the importance of models for shaping the youth in selfless endeavors, TOYM 2010, themed “Heroes Create Heroes,” gave Keh the Public Education and Good Governance award. It was commended by President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in Malacañang Palace on December 13.
The TOYM Awards is an annual search for young Filipinos leaders between the ages of 18 to 40 who embodied excellence in their pursuit of making a difference in the lives of others.
It is a project of Junior Chamber International Philippines together with the TOYM Foundation, the Gerry Roxas Foundation and Banco de Oro.
Of recognition and awards
Keh said that he was not expecting any award. “It’s good that people acknowledge what you do for others. But you do your work to help others, not because you [want] to be recognized.” he said.
In cooperation with the Ateneo and Ford Foundation, Keh established Pathways to help poor but promising students experience quality education.
Today, over 500 college students and more than 1,600 high school students are under the Pathways program.
Mary Herbel Berden Santiago (AB Lit-Eng ‘10), one of the Pathway beneficiaries who now works with Keh said that he is very dynamic and different from other superiors.
“He gives his staff the chance to do their own work for personal growth. He treats you as someone capable of thinking for yourself… he doesn’t think that you’re just a subordinate,” she said.
Keh also works with the AHON Foundation, which to date has built libraries in 27 elementary schools to encourage reading and increase literacy across the country.
Mentors and co-workers
Receiving the award wouldn’t be possible if not for the mentors and influential people who have shaped Keh into the leader he is now.
He thanks University President Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ first.
“He mentored me to become who I am today. There are also the Kaya Natin Champions who taught me a lot, such as “Among” Ed Panlilio, Grace Padaca and Jesse Robredo. Then the people who I worked with in Pathways and AHON,” he said.
Panlilio is the former Governor of Pampanga, Padaca the former Governor of Isabela, and Robredo the Secretary of Interior and Local Government.
Keh is the lead convener of Kaya Natin, a non-partisan movement for good governance and ethical leadership which encourages the youth to actively participate in governance.
Kaya Natin Secretariat Head, Kai Pastores (BS Psy ‘08) said that Keh as a boss is very active in engaging his co-workers.
“I’m glad to have met him, because I became involved in Politics. I think he really realized the importance of participating in governance and in contributing to the development of our country,” she said.
Keh outside work
His co-workers have different experiences with Keh outside of work. They said that he is a really jolly person who likes to kid around.
“I’ve been working with him since 2008. I think he gets along with almost everyone. In fact in Kaya Natin, he can joke around with anyone from the [administration assistant] to [Teofisto] Guingona,” Pastores said.
She also said that Keh really sees to it that there is rapport between him and the people he is working with, not just in a professional way but also in a more personal level.
