What started as a small gathering of Cebu's brightest now emerged as an annual coming together of future leaders at a national scope.
Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit (AFLBS) is an annual gathering of about one hundred delegates among thousands of applicants across the Philippines to listen and learn straight from the executives of one of the country's best-managed companies and renowned resource speakers. The 8th Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit is held at Marco Polo Hotel Cebu City with this year's theme "Significantly Changing My Philippines." Delegates are varsity athletes, honor students and student leaders from all over the county.

Chief Human Resource and Quality Office of the Aboitiz Group, Xavier "Txabi" Aboitiz said "We all have a part to play in nation-building and it's very encouraging to see the youth aspiring to contribute to it. But for them to shape our nation towards a better future, we need to shape their mindsets first. This is what we wish to accomplish during the summit,"

The 8th Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit speakers were:

• Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) President and CEO Erramon  Aboitiz
• Visayan Electric Co. COO Jim Aboitiz
• CitySavings Bank VP William Paradies
• AboitizLand President and CEO Andoni Aboitiz
• Hedcor President and COO Rene Ronquillo
• Union Bank of the Philippines Assistant Vice President Anna Aboitiz Delgado
• AEV SVP for Human Resources Txabi Aboitiz; AEV SVP
• CFO and CIO Steve Paradies
• Aboitiz Foundation EVP and COO Sonny Carpio
• AEV SVP and Chief Reputation and Risk Management Officer Susan Valdez.

One of the summit’s highlights was the Leadership Forum, which featured Aboitiz Foundation President Jon Ramon Aboitiz and Trustee Romy Ronquillo, and Aboitiz Power Corp. FVP for Mindanao Affairs Bobby Orig.

Also present were TV host and recognized voice of the youth, Bianca Gonzalez and Rappler.com CEO Maria Ressa to give aspirational talks.
The Summit talks about leadership and management concepts and shows how these are concretized in a corporate environment, providing opportunities for the student delegates to interact, network, and establish ties with CEOs, executives, team leaders, and team members of the Aboitiz Group, as well as with their fellow delegates. Through plenary discussions, teambuilding exercises, and team challenges, the Summit also aims to bring out the best from the student delegates, inspire them to develop a renewed hope in the country, and encourage them to strive for excellence in all things.

AFLBS delegates are treated with Pre-summit activities that includes an enjoyable roundabout of the Cebu Cty as well as a tour of Don Ramon Aboitiz’s home and the Children of Cebu Foundation, Inc., one of the beneficiaries of Aboitiz Foundation, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

To apply for the Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit, the applicant must:

• Be a Filipino citizen, 25 years old or younger at the time of the Summit
• Be a bonafide undergraduate student of a school / university
• Be a 3rd or 4th year student of a 4-year course; 4th or 5th year student of a 5-year course
• Be taking up any course in the following fields of study: Business Management, Accounting, Communications, Political Science, Information Technology, Marketing, Finance, Engineering, Psychology, Economics, and Law
• Be ranked in the top 20 of their college or department
• Be an active leader or officer of any student organization – student government, academic, cause-oriented, socio-civic or religious in nature
• Possesses excellent communication skills
• Not have any disciplinary case inside or outside campus

For update list of requirements and more information about the summit, visit www.facebook.com/AboitizLeaders, twitter.com/aboitizleaders, or www.careers.aboitiz.com