MVP Group empowers future greats with 2019 youth leadership summit

From January 27 to 30, FPLA hosted the MVP Future Thought Leaders Summit for 77 youth delegates from schools in Luzon.

MANILA, Philippines — For the fourth consecutive year, the First Pacific Leadership Academy (FPLA), a corporate university affiliated with the MVP Group of Companies, trained young individuals as they aspire to be the country’s future forerunners for progress and sustainable development.

From January 27 to 30, FPLA hosted the MVP Future Thought Leaders Summit for 77 youth delegates from the following schools:

• Bataan National High School
• Department of Education Division of Lipa, Batangas
• Department of Education Division of San Pablo, Laguna
• Don Bosco Technical Institute of Tarlac
• Inosloban Marawoy Integrated National High School, Batangas
• Our Lady of Lourdes Parish – Camarin, Caloocan
• Southville 8C National High School, Rizal
• Tanauan City College, Batangas

With few formalized courses on leadership among schools, FPLA finds purpose in producing better leaders in the country by teaching and training the youth. The summit also seeks to achieve Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan’s vision of empowering the youth to take a greater role in nation building.

With the theme “Leadership in Social Innovation,” the summit encouraged the young attendees to create grassroots level of change for their communities.

The Academy also held talks to enhance knowledge, skills and attitudes—all hinged on FPLA’s five pillars in the leadership development framework, a series of competencies that truly awaken the leadership spirit.

Workshops were supplemented with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), an ambitious plan that imagines a world rid of hunger and poverty, and safe from the worst effects of climate change.

Vince Visey, Grade 11 of San Pablo City Science High School, said, “It’s a privilege na makapunta sa summit na ito dahil marami kaming natututunan about leadership. Since we’re guided by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, nalaman ko kung paano magawang mag-utilize ng resources at paano gumawa ng actions as leaders.”

The young Visey would also take this important message home, “Na-move ako noong sinabi sa amin na ‘You must be a leader of yourself, before you can be leader of others. If you are a follower with a vision, then you’re a leader; but if you’re a leader without a vision, you’re just a follower.’

Responsible for inspiring these delegates with their nuggets of leadership wisdom are none other than the speakers who are well-versed in each of the FPLA Student Leadership Development Framework Pillars:

• Jose Mari Oquinena
• John Paulo Delas Nieves
• UP Genetics Research and Agricultural Innovators Society (UP Grains)
• Fiona Faulkner
• FPLA Team

In her welcoming speech, Kay Biason, head of Executive Education and officer-in-charge for FPLA, said, "No matter the title or the position, everyone is a Leader in his or her own right, and we’re here to guide you in developing that leader in you to allow you to lead yourself and eventually lead others."

For her part, Cheska Avenido, a Grade 10 student who was also a delegate from San Pablo City Science High School, said, “We are honored to be trained in a facility that really helps student leaders lead in the future. Dumami ang kaalaman namin dahil ‘yung mga resource speakers help us be inclined doon sa framework na binigay.”

On what she learned the most, Avenido answered, “That ‘We the youth is what the world needs.' Na-realize ko na talagang kailangang mag-step up ng youth, kailangan kami yung mag-initiate ng actions na makakatulong sa future natin bilang isang bansa.”

For aspiring leaders and leaders who would like to become game-changers, visit  https://fpla.com.ph/ and follow the official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FPLeadershipAcademy/.