FOUR Thomasians were among 75 students chosen to participate in the 10th Annual Ayala Young Leaders’ Congress (AYLC) last February 6 to 8 at the San Miguel Corp. Management Training Center in Alfonso, Cavite.
Nursing senior Rachel Milante, physical therapy senior student Crismae Olay, industrial engineering senior Florence Margaret Bolisay, and political science junior Mary Kristine Fernandez bested 595 other applicants from 104 schools across the country.
This year’s theme “Leadership: A Call to Moral Courage,” emphasizes the need for moral courage and conviction in a leader.
“Leadership relies not only on the big things but on how we handle every small challenge that comes our way. It is not just about what we do, but who we are, and if we are living a life of moral conviction,” Jaime Zobel de Ayala said in his keynote speech.
Launched by the Ayala Corp. in 1998, the AYLC is a three-day conference consisting of workshops, lectures, and plenary discussions led by media personalities, executives of Ayala Corp. and the Ayala Foundation, and leaders from the public and private sectors.
Speakers in the congress included University of the Philippines economist Solita “Winnie” Monsod, Probe newsmagazine host Cheche Lazaro, Center for Agriculture and Rural Development chairman Jaime Aristotle Alip, Ayala Foundation President Vicky Garchitorena, and John Philip Orbeta, managing director of Ayala Corp.
Delegates were offered a framework of “servant leadership” based on four elements: awareness, vision, stewardship, and community.
“Awareness is knowing yourself and being true to who you are. Vision is allowing yourself to dream big. Stewardship means loving your constituents to excellence so that they may become leaders themselves. Lastly, leaders build communities where people live, work, and find meaning for their existence,” Milante said.
Delegates to the congress were selected through a rigorous process that considered the student’s academic performance and leadership accomplishments in international, national, local, or school organizations.
Students must come from schools that have Level II accreditation and centers of excellence declared by the Commission on Higher Education. Heads of the Ayala Group’s talent management and recruitment network evaluate applications, while Ayala executives conduct panel interviews.
Delegates instantly become members of the Ayala Young Leaders Alliance, the official alumni network of AYLC.
The members of the alliance enjoy employment privileges from the Ayala Group of Companies and its affiliates such as Globe Telecom, Inc. and Manila Water Company, Inc. The alliance has 729 members and 17 local chapters in key cities nationwide, including one in Singapore.
