To celebrate UA&P’s Golden Anniversary, the School of Education and Human Development (SED) launched a first-of-its-kind study tour for the International Business Management (IBM) students of the Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya (WMCUS) on October 24-30, 2017. Twenty-five students joined the tour, some of whom were student leaders, athletes, and musicians. The WMCUS Faculty of Business Dean, Dr. Lodovicus Lasdi, and the Director of the International Business Management Program, Dr. Wahyudi Wibowo, were also present during the first day of activities.
The IBM students from WMCUS were invited to a week-long study tour in the Philippines after a fruitful educational trip for the UA&P Child Development and Education (CDE) students in Surabaya, Indonesia last year. Ms. Lexie Estacio, SED’s Operations Committee Secretary and CDE Center Principal, headed the study tour, supported by SED Dean Dr. Celerino Tiongco, SED faculty member Ms. Concha de la Cruz, and Dr. Jose Maria Mariano. Former UA&P University Secretary Dr. Arwin Vibar lent a hand. He is currently teaching in WMCUS a few subjects as part of an exchange agreement.
Although we have had many outstanding conferences and projects that involved guests from different parts of the globe, the UA&P-WMCUS tour is one of the longest engagements UA&P has launched. The week-long tour and its activities were crafted in order to immerse the students in business, language, and Philippine culture.
I was fortunate to have been part of this event as a student host peer alongside SED students Celine Esguerra (Human Capital Development [HCD] IV), Nina Reyes (CDE IV), Joppo Patrocinio (HCD IV), and Ramon Villareal (HCD IV). Our task was to give the WMCUS students a taste of UA&P life.
UA&P life
In the first three days of the study tour, the WMCUS students learned about the UA&P culture. They toured the campus and were given an overview of UA&P’s vision-mission, the role of the Center for Student Affairs in the University, and the organization structure of UA&P. To cap off the first day, we, the student peer hosts, shared our experiences as UA&P Dragons: from our roles as student leaders, interns in various companies, and, of course, educators-in-the-making.
In the following days, the WMCUS students had classes on operations management, brand management and marketing, brand positioning for digital marketing, and business presentations.
Two of UA&P’s student organizations met with the WMCUS students. Pharos held a team-building exercise for the students, while the Enterprise Management Association (EMA) gave a primer on their activities and events. The UA&P Men’s Basketball team also had a friendly game with the WMCUS students, where our home team won.
A special meeting with Mr. Eric Francia, CEO of Ayala Corporation Energy Holdings and UA&P alumnus, was also arranged. He recounted the lessons he learned while entering the business with limited background in mining. Mr. Francia encouraged the students to pursue different professions even if they hold only one degree.
Business centers
The study tour group had a tour of Meralco and the Meralco Bayad Center. The concept of a “bayad center” was new to the Indonesian students. Bayad Center Marketing Head, Mr. Wendell Labre, and Head of Strategic Innovations Office, Mr. Mark Santiago, talked about innovation, the Philippine energy industry, the Filipino consumer behavior, and the history of Bayad Center. The president of Bayad Center, Mr. Manny Tuason, stressed the importance of loving one’s vocation and the role of passion in business. WMCUS student Ricky Tanama said that this stop was highly informative. “We now know a lot about how Filipinos do things and what their consuming behavior is.”
In the afternoon, we stopped by the Quezon City Hall and met with Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte. The WMCUS students learned about doing business in Q.C., where there is alignment and cooperation between local government and businesses. We also toured the house of Manuel L. Quezon and the Quezon City Experience museum. Showing great interest in Philippine history, the students drew comparisons with that of their own country. Here, I got to learn about the similarities between our countries, like the important role of the youth in the movement toward independence.
On the fifth day, we went to Bonifacio Global City (BGC). At the Alveo Sky Office, we were given a business outlook brief on the country’ economic background as well as the real estate industry. One WMCUS student commented that BGC reminded him of the modern districts of Hong Kong.
Filipino warmth
The sixth day focused on historical locations. We travelled to Calamba, Laguna to see the ancestral house of Jose Rizal. In the afternoon, we visited the shrine of General Miguel Malvar, the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans. At the Malvar ancestral home, the group had a get-together with Dr. Rina Villegas, former SED Vice Dean and descendant of General Malvar. Dr. Rina talked about her family legacy, which came from the general himself: to serve others and to love and respect the family. Her warmth made everyone feel so at ease and at home that the students were easily prompted to hold an impromptu concert! WMCUS students Evelyn and Abe played the piano and sang. At the request of the host, the students also gave a powerful rendition of the Indonesian national anthem. Likewise, Dr. Rina played classic Broadway hits on the piano. When asked what she would consider as the most memorable part of the entire tour, WMCUS student Agnes shared, “For me, it was the visit to Dr. Rina Villegas’ house. It was a wondrous step back in time.” Likewise, Ivan Sutanto expressed his appreciation for Dr. Rina’s fantastic performance on the piano.
In the last day of the study tour, we accompanied the students to the Greenhills Shopping Center to buy souvenirs. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the WMCUS students were so adept at haggling prices! Two of them were able to get bulk orders at a good price.
The final activity we had was a cultural night in UA&P. The student host peers wore traditional Philippine costumes, while the WMCUS students came dressed in batik. Together we put up a short program. The WMCUS students sang a medley of Indonesian songs. UA&P student Sophia Ariola performed the traditional Filipino dance Pandanggo sa Ilaw. Mia Mapua of SED and Jaime Kliatchko of the School of Communication serenaded the audience with acoustic pop tunes.
WMCUS student Lungardi thought that this was a very special way to end the tour. “After more than a week of bonding together, it was touching to see former strangers from two different countries become one big family.” Another student, Evelyn, commented that she will always treasure the opportunity to interact with Filipinos “because they made us feel at home with their warmth and graciousness.”
I agree with Lung wholeheartedly! In between all the activities, the student peer hosts and the WMCUS students formed friendships over funny stories and getting-to-know-you exchanges. We talked about each other’s families, our shared hobbies, and of course food! One of the strongest values held by my new friends is their respect for elders, no matter who they were. They are very courteous to everyone they meet, even the stall attendants and restaurant workers.
Lifelong learning
The seven-day study tour was specially designed not only to give the IBM students a rich and detailed view of how business is done here in the Philippines, but also to promote cross-cultural relationships. The tour showcased our university’s culture of lifelong learning. On one hand, we were able to share our best practices while also taking in a new perspective from another Asian country. That the perspective came from fellow students made this exchange of knowledge more meaningful.
An important insight I have gleaned is that learning comes most abundantly when there is collaboration. It is all about listening to others, drawing out their insights, and comparing them with your own experiences. For instance, during the fifth day of the tour, a small plastic bag from our van flew out on a busy road in Ortigas. One of the students wanted to pick it up, but fearing for his safety (there were a lot of cars) I told him not to bother. He looked puzzled at my reaction. And before I knew it, he was holding up the plastic bag! He later shared how he admired Filipinos for having clean cities and uncluttered surroundings, and he wanted to do his part. This incident underlines how we sometimes can appreciate better our values and ways through another person’s point of view.
Although the study tour was crafted with the IBM students in mind, the student peers also profited from the unparalleled experience. Nina Reyes said, “It was meeting the students from WMCUS and working with my co-hosts from HCD that uncovered new awareness. I learned that we have a lot to learn from the different degree programs. From my co-hosts, I learned the importance of keeping my eyes wide open for opportunities to showcase the things SED taught me. They taught me that there will always be an important role for even the most timid student. From my new friends—the IBM students—I learned that it is our differences that make our interaction more fruitful, for they will help us strive to be better. And lastly, from the professors who placed their trust in us, I learned that, despite the extra workload and longer school hours, I must always be open to new opportunities – because the best part of the study tour was that it taught me lessons that I would not have learned had I not stepped out of the classroom, and brought myself into the real world.”
After participating in the UA&P-WMCUS study tour, I am even more inspired by UA&P’s mission. Dragons are trained to reach out as innovative leaders and professionals, ready to contribute to society, whether here in the Philippines or abroad. In our pursuit of this mission, we must also remember that we cannot achieve greatness alone. Part of the meaning behind our motto “Unitas” expresses unity with each other. What does Unitas bring about? Well, as my rich experience in the study tour has shown, building bridges and forming friendships across cultures not only give one the opportunity to share knowledge in the spirit of progress, but the mutual respect fostered also allows one to take in new insights, discover things seen only through the eyes of another.
Terima kasih to all my friends from WMCUS! Until we meet again!
At the time of writing, Ma. Angela M. Magalong is a senior taking up BS Human Capital Development. She was the research head of the 2018 Civitas Asia National Student Conference. As a human capital development practitioner in-the-making, she enjoys working with others to not only achieve project objectives but also whole-person development.
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