As I write this column, it is a beautiful Sunday morning here in Cebu. My colleagues and I attended the First National Business and Management Conference. Co-hosted by the University of San Carlos (USC) and De La Salle University, this event provided a venue for faculty from all over the country to present their research. Over 42 faculty members, MBA and DBA students presented their ongoing research projects. We also had an opportunity to enhance our skills and be exposed to the current trends in sustainable business and management practices.
This trip, four years since my last, allowed me a glimpse of Cebu’s astounding developments. From the vibrant Terrace extension of the Ayala Mall, where Zumba classes were being held in one of Cebu’s few patches of greenery, to the gleaming glass buildings of the business process outsourcing (BPO) offices and hotels and well-equipped classrooms at USC, the changes truly impressed me. All these developments attest to the economic boom of the province. Even the beloved traditional pasalubong, the dried mangoes, have leveled up. The Belgian chocolate-dipped dried mango strip is currently fueling my creative juices!