After the classrooms sessions and site visits in the Province of Zambales, the students went back to Manila to process what they have learned as they joined the lecture of Dr. Benjamin C. Bagadion, Jr., on ecotourism and sustainable tourism development in the Philippines. In this classroom session, students were introduced to other protected areas in the Philippines (i.e. Apo Island, Pujada Bay). Students got to analyze the case study Managing the Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape. Analysis of the case study as discussed in the class boiled down to three essential lessons: (1) The beauty of nature should be the starting point of designing programs; (2) There is a need to ensure community participation and ownership in order to avoid elite capture. That is, the community cooperating with local government will be at its optimum if there is a sense of ownership among community members. However, this requires political will; and (3) To enhance environmental protection, there is a need to anticipate second-generation problems. Hence, leadership is a critical variable because leadership can create a win-win situation.

 

Having touched on the concept of leadership, the succeeding classroom session by Dr. Milagros D. Lagrosa focused on leadership effectiveness, stakeholder management, and corporate social responsibility. This session focused on the strategic management of human capital and methods to lead a sustainable tourism workforce. Students were grouped with the various industry practitioners of the Philippine tourism industry. They were tasked to create new knowledge about how to mobilize their respective social and environmental advocacies. At the end of the group dynamic sessions, each group presented their newfound knowledge. Overall, participants call for the need to engage in socially responsible undertakings such as pursuing profit maximization vis-à-vis environmental protection and the maximization of tourists' experience while promoting community benefit.

The following day, students presented their capstone project—a business plan for the sustainability of Mango Grove at Bancal River (MGBR). Their panelists were Dr. Fernando Y. Roxas, Dr. John Paolo R. Rivera, and Cristina Tabora. The students presented a comprehensive business plan suggesting an improved value proposition and an intensified marketing initiative for MGBR. Tabora commended the students for their input and feedback, which she will definitely incorporate into their plans.

  

After the presentations of capstone projects, a closing ceremony was conducted. Dr. Noel M. Cortez, jead of the W. SyCip Graduate School of Business, wrapped up the entire week. He emphasized that there is more to learn and discover in the Philippines. Likewise, he underscored the commitment of AIM to bringing together students from the Global Network for Advanced Management through such program that will facilitate a meaningful exchange of perspectives. This will allow students to understand the linkages among tourism stakeholders and its significance for enterprises and organizations across sectors.