Leonen to keynote AYLC

MANILA, Philippines - The Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC), the Ayala group’s flagship program for youth development, will convene on its  15th year from Feb. 5 to 8 in Alfonso, Cavite with 81 student leaders from colleges and universities across the country. They will exchange views on the theme, “Leadership Imperative: Confronting and Adapting to Changing Realities.”

Keynote speaker Marvic Leonen, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, will share his experiences in the academe and government, including challenges he faced in his former role as chief negotiator of the peace talks with the MILF.

In addition, delegates will get the chance to listen to and interact with Ayala group executives led by chairman emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala, chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, president and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala, and BPI president Aurelio Montinola III. Officers from Ayala Land, Globe Telecom, Manila Water, Integrated Micro-Electronics, Ayala Automotive, and Ayala Foundation also help facilitate some sessions.

AYLC is a holistic and intensive leadership program framed on the principles of “servant leadership.” AYLC carefully selects individuals from various disciplines to provide concrete examples of servant leadership in action. This year’s panelists include Expo Mejia, coach of the Philippine Volcanoes; Maribel Garcia of The Mind Museum; Rappler.com’s Glenda Gloria; Phinma’s Ramon del Rosario, Jr., former Comelec chairman Christian Monsod; and AYLC alumni Bonar Laureto.

The AYLC’s 3rd Alumni Grand Reunion on Feb. 9 at The Circuit in Makati will  feature the Starfish Fair 2013, a showcase of 10 development projects that AYLC alumni have initiated. The fair serves as an avenue to share best practices in organizing community projects and provides an opportunity to replicate and support the various initiatives.

With 1,043 alumni involved in various sectors here and abroad, AYLC forms a strong network of young leaders who are values oriented and have a sense of stewardship for their respective communities. Individually and collectively, they have been active in relief operations, leadership camps, educational and livelihood programs, medical missions, and other development work.

“We are celebrating more than just 15 years of a leadership congress,” says John Philip Orbeta, AYLC program director. “We are celebrating 15 years of young Filipinos making a difference in the communities they serve. It is also a promise to do more for the country in the years to come.”