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Filipinos have always regarded education as one of the most important facets of life. Wherever they are in the world, they strive hard to learn more, to know more and to apply what they have learned – and in some instances, they make it a point also to help others learn more.
A flagship Executive Education program of the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG), the Ateneo Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) is a non-profit six-month empowerment program that seeks to build the capabilities of Filipinos overseas to be change agents for their families, communities, and their home country. This capacity-building initiative consists of 12 full-day sessions covering four sessions each for Leadership, Financial Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship facilitated by highly-qualified resource speakers from ASoG and the ALSE consortium. By the end of 2017, the program has seen over 1,993 graduates, from a total of eleven countries.
Led by highly committed volunteers, the 2017 local secretariat is spearheaded by Benjamin Datinguinoo, Paul Moralde, Manuel Canlas, and Jr. & Leopoldo Garcia. The group is guided by its core advisers Jasper Adviento, Gina Valbuena, Armand Fernandez and Marian Celeste Carella. The group is futher supported by the LSE Alumni Association, led by JR Papel, along with the Alumni Council.
“Volunteerism is undeniably far from easy, especially when the intention to leave our home country is to explore opportunities for a better future,” says Gina Valbuena. “When you volunteer, your actions become focused outside of yourself, reaching out to where there is a greater need to serve without the thought of receiving in return. Though often an option difficult to undertake, this is an advocacy that every member of the Ateneo LSE community shares.”
Jr Papel adds, “The best way to create the new breed of entrepreneurial Pinoys is to educate and sharpen their current skills, challenge the employee mindset and encourage them to become social entrepreneurs. This refining of capabilities will eventually prepare and sustain them for their return and reintegration.”
A group of Filipino volunteers whose sole objective is to share their priceless time, skills, talents and professional expertise towards the betterment of kababayans in the UAE, Kababayan NPO (KNPO) has grown since its inception in 2015. The group which has trained some 5,000 graduates to date is composed of 60 volunteers coming from all walks of life. Lead by Elgene Bautista (President), Karen Bautista (Vice Pres), Jaymark Pangilinan (Audit), Jhoana gerologa(Finance), Charlene Josue & Micheal Pangilinan (Marketing), and Essa Puentespina (Deputy VP), KNPO’s majority is composed of trainers, as well as other volunteers working relentlessly to ensure a seamless operation.
“Education plays a vital role in our professional careers,” says KNPO President Elgene Bautista. “It helps open doors to better opportunities. With many Filipinos here in the UAE who would like to improve their skills but cannot afford the high cost of education, Kabayan NPO is here to help. KNPO exists for a goal, and that is to live up its mission statement: Advancing knowledge, transforming lives.”
KNPO’s work as organization is greatly validated when their students have excelled. Among their projects including the CCNA Boot camp for which a student garnered a perfect score of 1000/1000, twenty-two of its Massage Therapy students also took the TESDA NCII certification and brought home an unprecedented 100% passing score.
Launched in June 2017, under the visionary leadership and advocacy of its Chairman, Lyndon Magsino, the Philippine Business School (PBS) has a mission to shape Filipinos to become global business leaders of tomorrow. The success of PBS can be measured not based on the number of programs they have rolled out but based on the number of successful Filipino business tycoons who are dominating the business world.
Lyndon has envisioned that through PBS, Filipinos can be effective CEOs, CFOs, and owners of big global conglomerates.
“Filipinos are under-recognized by most employers while being left behind in the business world,” says Lyndon. “Recognizing the limitless and great potential, PBS paves the way to equip the hands and educate the minds of Filipinos to become industry ready, field experts, and global business leaders, believing that there is great potential in every Filipino to keep the competitive spirit and excel in their careers. When the time comes for them to make that daunting decision to either migrate to another country or come home to the Philippines for good, they have all the necessary learning and competencies to sustain a stable future not just for themselves but the nation as well.”
In its pursuit of excellence, PBS continues to collaborate with top tier institutions both internationally and in the Philippines such as the De La Salle University for its MBA programs. With barely a year in its operations from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, PBS remains positive that with perseverance, more and more Filipinos in the Gulf would recognize PBS as a premier and trustworthy institution.
“PBS will continue to share knowledge, and perhaps be an example to our fellow Filipinos in thinking and striving to go beyond the glass ceilings,” says Lyndon. “To strive to excel in everything that we do so that other nations will see us as a nation of brains; where Filipinos are valued as influential in the workplace, in the Gulf and where success is not only possible but inevitable for everyone.”
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Photography by: Alex Callueng
Illustrado 100 was made possible by sponsors: Giordano, Liali Jewellery, Mitsubishi UAE- Al Habtoor Motors, Michael Cinco Couture, Mapúa Institute of Technology, Centro – Amwaj Rotana Hotel , Max’s Restaurant Middle East and GVER – Your Friendly MarketPlace for Sharing
Co-Sponsors: Herschel Supply Co., Rove Hotels, The Medical City – Dubai , Filipino Institute UAE, MPQ Tourism, JAMES Travel and Tours Dubai, Off the Hook Seafood Restaurant, The Original Barrio Fiesta Restaurant – Dubai and Tapa King UAE.
Read more Illustrado 100 on www.illustradolife.com
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