(L-R) Panelists Eugene Teves, Miriam Quevenco,Syed Raza and Mark Bantigue converse on the trajectory of the Philippine nation. Photo by Rosemarie Apostol
Philippines Youth to Business Forum (Y2B) PH : Initiating Change Through Inter-Generation Collaboration
Philippines Youth to Business Forum (Y2B) PH
Over 200 delegates were inspired and empowered in helping create a globally competitive nation in the Philippines Youth to Business Forum (Y2B) held last October 23, 2013 at the Ateneo de Manila University.
The pioneering forum, created by student-run organization AIESEC, emphasized the roles of Education, Technology, and Global Experience in developing world-class values and skills among the youth.
Education as a lifestyle
“Equal opportunities to education will only be given once we start to see it as a way of life rather than a privilege,” said the International Student Identification Card (ISIC) Project Director Miriam Quevenco.
Quevenco emphasized that the countries recognized to have the best educational systemsare those that ensure that the right to education is equal to actual education opportunities received by its citizens.
The education advocate also revealed that the World Bank advised that 90% of the government subsidy should be allocated in educating its citizens.Quevenconoted that such appropriation can be possible given the present economic reality of the Philippines.
“The country needs to invest a lot of money, effort, and time in education to develop young individuals who believe their life’s purpose is to become instigators and collaborators of positive social and cultural change in the Philippines,” she said.
Nation growth with technology
Currently, the Philippines is a rank higher than India in the 2013 Global Competitiveness Report at the 59th place and contributing to this is the country’s expansion and boom in voice Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
However, according to Hewlett Packard (HP)Service Management Manager Eugene Tevesthere is already a steady growth and diversity among the kind ofprofessionals in the country.
“It’s not all about call center services anymore. We are able to provide Information Technology (IT), data center support, engineering services and even health care. We’re also slowly increasing our animation and game development,” he said.
The Management Information Systems graduate also emphasized that numerous enterprises and industries, like realty and food, will benefit from the growth of the country’s IT-BPO industry.
“The market is there, the demand is there. All we need to do now is grab the opportunity and supply the right talent pool for the industry to prosper,” Teves said, “by 2016 we see the IT-BPO industry to surpass the $20 Billion overseas remittances, so with the boost in technology there would be no need for our professionals to go overseas.”
Currently handling HP operations in the entire Asia Pacific, Teves alsoremarked that Filipinos can be more competent in the industry once they venture to countries where technology is more advanced.
“To be globally competitive, you have to know which kind of technology is at the frontier. You also need to work in different places to be exposed to different cultures and work environments,” Teves noted.
Experiencing the world
The immersion in different societies and cultures is essential for Filipinos to experience as it helps generate profound insights and ideas to bring back home and develops the appreciation of one’s own nation, according to international student-entrepreneur Syed Raza.
“You travel so you can see the worth of your country, the worth of your people, and the worth of your expertise and enterprises,” the Pakistani said.
Razaalso shared that “getting lost in the world” will always be a win-win situation for the youth.
“The youth are at the age when they have the time and idealism for change. Opportunities are everywhere and you have the option to stay where you are or experience the world to discover how you can make your country better,” he noted.
Raza also experienced the exchange programs of AIESEC which provides the youth opportunities of independence, cross-cultural immersions, and personal and community development in different continents.
“At the end of the day, wherever you are, one’s mindset should always be ‘I can do something for this country and this country can do something for me,’”the Pakistani said.
Development of youth and the society
Philippines Youth to Business Forum is one of the many platforms AIESEC offers to create experiences of positive impact that engages the youth in spreading social awareness and empowering them to become proactive collaborators in nation building and global change.
AIESEC views the importance of harnessing the youth’s potentials by providing them leadership opportunities and international exchange programs that maximize their knowledge, skills, and values todevelop world-class individuals with a global mindset that not only represent the voice of the youth but are seen as active change agents.
The organization strongly believes in the capability of young minds to become the innovators that will shape a better world for the next generations. After all, AIESEC Vice President for Marketing and Communications Michael Fua asked, “what’s the youth without a little idealism?”VLDCL
When in Manila be sure to check out all other activities organized by the Philippines Youth to Business Forum
