Freedom from Fear: What Philippines Independence Day means to Josh Yugen

Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom. When you are free from the control or influence of others, when you become self-reliant and self-sufficient, and when you are able to do what is necessary to create a fulfilling life, then only you can be truly independent and free.

“For me Independence means freedom from fear, any fear that hinders you from reaching your dreams or from approaching your life’s next chapter or even taking a small step because one can never cross the ocean without having the courage to lose the beauty of the shore.” says Josh Yugen, a Dubai-based entrepreneur and celebrity producer. I will always remember the advice given to me by Nicole Scherzinger when I met her in Dolby Theater Hollywood in 2016 - “If you have a dream, don’t let anyone stand in the middle of it, pursue it.” he added.

In 2007, Josh came to Dubai not knowing what lies ahead of his journey. With passion, grit and resilience, he has earned numerous accolades and has become one of the most successful Filipinos in the region - from establishing Yugen PR, one of Dubai’s fastest rising PR companies, to making waves in the international scene through Xpedition Magazine, a homegrown luxury fashion and travel magazine, to being awarded the franchises of the historical Miss Universe UAE and Miss Universe Bahrain as its National Director.

Just like how the Philippines broke free from Spanish rule over a hundred years ago, achieving freedom has become one of the most treasured milestones the Filipinos achieved in their rich history - making freedom truly priceless. For Josh Yugen, freedom is the very same thing that pushed him to break barriers in the industry - from being the most followed verified Filipino personality on Instagram based on reports from HypeAuditor, to producing the worldwide trending Arab Fashion Week 2018 with Maymay Entrata, to bringing the then reigning Miss Universe Catriona Gray to the UAE and to being one of the most celebrated producer to the stars including Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, Bailey May and P-POP group BINI/BGYO.

Empowerment of the Filipino community through fashion, art, and music especially in a foreign land thousands of miles away from our motherland, is truly what makes it feel like home.