(This was lifted from the Inaugural Address of the author as the 77th President of the Management Association of the Philippines.)
As in the past, the Management Association of the Philippines’ (MAP) activities this year will be guided by a theme.
For 2025, we will once again build on MAP’s legacy, its strengths, while forging forward to a relevant and progressive future.
For MAP’s 75th Year — our Diamond Anniversary — we have chosen a theme aligned with MAP’s mission of promoting management excellence for nation-building. The MAP Board of Governors has chosen the theme: “Management excellence for a progressive Philippines.”
To continue and sustain the noteworthy projects that were initiated or implemented by last year’s Board, MAP will continue to pursue the following four thrusts:
1. Member Engagement,
2. Country Competitiveness,
3. ESG and Shared Prosperity, and,
4. Investing in the Youth.
Last year, there were five thrusts. This year, these were merged into four. Last year’s Cluster on Innovation, Technology and Digitalization has been merged into the Cluster on Country Competitiveness, not so much because there is less to do, but because our hope is that in focusing, we sharpen the impact.
It will be a bottom-up process, where we will work with the committees with all their initiatives, and these will be presented to the Board.
MEMBER ENGAGEMENTWe will continue to ensure the relevance of the topics and issues covered in the MAP general membership meetings or GMMs in order to engage the membership in a more meaningful way. We will cover relevant topics and developments so as to benefit the members, their companies, and the economy.
We will hold two to three GMMs outside Metro Manila (MM), so we can engage our members in the Visayas and Mindanao. Through technology and its proactive application, we will continue enabling virtual participation of members outside MM in our various activities. This will enable MAP to help expand business and economic development benefits to the rest of the country.
COUNTRY COMPETITIVENESSWe will continue to push for vital policy reforms, through executive or legislative action, that will eliminate corruption, improve the ease of doing business, ensure food security through agricultural productivity, and sustain an enabling business environment for local and foreign investors. The aspiration is to attract greater and more diverse job-creating investments for more Filipinos to be gainfully employed.
ESG AND SHARED PROSPERITYWe will continue advancing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and fostering Shared Prosperity as a key strategic thrust for the year. By integrating sustainable practices, promoting ethical leadership, and driving inclusive growth, we aim to create long-term value for MAP members and all other stakeholders. We will continue pushing for the discourse and activities to champion responsible business, uplift communities, and contribute to a resilient and equitable future for the Philippines.
INVESTING IN THE YOUTHWe will continue the Campaign Against Malnutrition and Child Stunting or CAMACS and we will continue advocating for government and the private sector to pursue relevant education, health and wellness programs, particularly for the youth. The objective is for the youth to become productive members of society, with competitive skills and capacity that will ensure a progressive economy of the future.
MAP MEMBERS’ TOP 7 CONCERNS FOR 2025We did a survey late last year, and we will certainly address the top seven concerns of MAP members:
1. Corruption
2. Education
3. Economy
4. Ease of Doing Business (EODB)
5. Climate Change
6. Cybersecurity
7. Dealing with LGUs
Please note that all your top seven concerns will be directly addressed by the four thrusts that I have explained.
To address Corruption and EODB, we will continue to participate actively in the programs of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
MAP COMMITTEES UNDER FOUR CLUSTERSIn general, we will build on MAP’s ongoing activities that benefit our members and other stakeholders.
While focusing on the four main thrusts, we will continue to pursue other advocacies and programs to adapt to developments in the domestic and global landscape.
Your 2025 Board will work with the 25 MAP committees which shall be grouped according to our four main thrusts for 2025:
1. The Member Engagement group will be headed by yours truly, VP Mike Toledo and Noel Bonoan.
2. The Country Competitiveness group will be headed by Rene Almendras and Gil Genio.
3. The ESG and Shared Prosperity group will be led by Rex Drilon II.
4. The Investing in the Youth group will be handled by Paolo Borromeo and Maan Hontiveros.
MAP’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIESAs I mentioned earlier, MAP is turning 75 this year and we have lined up the following activities, among others, to commemorate this very important landmark in the history of our Association:
1. We will have an Anniversary Dinner-Concert with the Manila Symphony Orchestra in July.
2. We will develop an updated MAP video that can be used in succeeding years, regardless of who the next MAP President will be. So, it will be a timeless video for the association. We hope to launch the new MAP Video during the Anniversary Dinner.
We will certainly have other activities in celebration of this milestone. And definitely, we will announce all these in due time as we are able to develop the said programs.
Before I close, I’d like to assure everyone that on our Diamond Year, we will not just commemorate the past — we will fortify and lay the seeds in shaping the next 75 years and beyond.
We, in the Board — hand in hand with each one of you, our MAP members, particularly all the Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs — know that with your active participation and support, 2025 will see the realization of these goals into real change and meaningful impact.
Thank you for your trust, your passion, and your commitment. Let’s make 2025 a year of progress — not just for MAP, but for the Philippines.
Aside from being the 77th President of the MAP, Alfredo S. Panlilio is also the Chair of Maya Bank.