BingoPlus Foundation equips FutureSmart Scholars with leadership, life-skills to become changemakers

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BingoPlus Foundation’s scholars convene at the 2nd FutureSmart Leaders General Assembly in Makati City, participating in high-impact workshops on purpose, vision, and leadership.

On July 19, 2025, BingoPlus Foundation, the social development arm of DigiPlus, gathered 80 FutureSmart scholars from across the country for its second general assembly for a day of growth, connection, and inspiration. The event featured professional trainers, national beauty queen ambassadors, and nonprofit leaders who shared actionable insights and leadership tools to help the scholars become future-ready leaders.

Through its P.L.U.S. (Pioneering Leadership and Uplifting Service) Factor Program, the Foundation underscores its commitment to nurturing young talents with more than financial aid. The program equips scholars with essential life skills such as leadership, resilience, and a sense of service, ensuring they are prepared to lead both in their chosen careers and in their communities. Building on the momentum of past sessions, this year’s assembly focused on the two high-impact workshops: Purpose and Vision, which guided scholars in aligning their personal mission with future advocacies, and public speaking, which enhanced their confidence, presence, and ability to influence others.

A clear purpose keeps life on the right track.

The Purpose and Vision Workshop aimed to guide scholars in uncovering what drives them and aligning it with their future careers and advocacies. Through reflection exercises and guided discussions, participants explored how understanding their "Why" can empower them to lead with intention and integrity.

Through a workshop facilitated by Management Strategies, a global consulting and training firm based in the Philippines, scholars were guided to discover and define their personal purpose and vision in life. Using practical tools and reflective exercises, they were able to align their individual aspirations with the values of leadership and service, giving them a clearer roadmap for their future.

“We believe transformation begins when a young person discovers their purpose,” said Jasper Vicencio, President of AB Leisure Exponent and Vice President and Trustee of BingoPlus Foundation. “We’re not just offering scholarships. We’re building leaders who can create impact, inspire others, and give back to their communities.” he added.

The workshop was made even more impactful by special guests Chelsea Fernandez, Miss Philippines Cosmo 2025, and Kat Llegado, Miss Philippines Supranational 2026. The two queens shared how they use their pageant platforms to advance meaningful advocacies, shedding light on what it means to lead with purpose.

“Purpose guides everything I do—on and off stage,” said Chelsea Fernandez, urging scholars to stay authentic and clear. Kat Llegado added, “When vision is rooted in purpose, pressure becomes fuel.” Connecting purpose to service, Joie Balaong of iVolunteer Philippines shared: “Volunteerism is our core—we envision every Filipino volunteering by making it known, easy, and doable.”

Adding to the inspiring session was Joie Ann Balaong, Partnership Director of iVolunteer Philippines, who shared her personal journey of turning passion into purpose through community service. Her story echoed a powerful message on how fulfillment comes from alignment between values and vocation.

‘Walk the talk’: Bringing purpose to the podium

Ms. Issa Litton, an experienced trainer in public speaking, host, and actress, assisted the scholars in cultivating confidence by utilizing their voices as instruments to create impact and excel as communicators in their respective fields.

Before the General Assembly, FutureSmart Scholars joined the PLUS Factor: Public Speaking Workshop, aimed to strengthen the scholars’ communication and presentation skills. The workshop mainly focused on presence and delivery, teaching scholars how to project their voice, maintain a confident posture, and present themselves with clarity and poise. This session involved a practical application where participants delivered presentations and received direct feedback from mentors.

Through this experience, scholars not only improved their public speaking skills but also gained a deeper understanding of how communication ties into their personal and professional growth. They also learned how to use their voice as a tool for leadership and advocacy, and gained skills that will serve them as future innovators and community leaders.

“When scholars know their purpose and can speak it with confidence, they become unstoppable forces for good,” said Vicencio. “This is the heart of what we aim to nurture through FutureSmart. We want to help shape leaders who will influence the future with clarity, compassion, and courage.”

Initiatives like this are part of DigiPlus and BingoPlus Foundation’s broader goal to continue to invest in more than just education but in character-building, leadership development, and values formation for the next and future generation of Filipino leaders. With its FutureSmart Scholarship Program, the foundation remains firm in its commitment to cultivating a generation that leads with purpose and uplifts others in the process.

To learn more about the FutureSmart Scholarship Program, follow BingoPlus Foundation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BingoPlusFoundation

Enstack Launches "HERstory": A Celebration of Women in Leadership

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Series aims to inspire professional ambition and personal growth by spotlighting trailblazing women in business and industry

Enstack, the AI-powered mobile app that enables everyone to be entrepreneurs, announced today the launch of EmpowHER HERstory, a year-long video series designed to spotlight the journeys, challenges, and achievements of female leaders across various industries.

EmpowHER HERstory, a new initiative from Enstack’s EmpowHER campaign, gives a closer look at the lives of influential women who balance professional success with personal roles such as that of mothers and primary caregivers.

As a female-led company, Enstack consistently highlights female entrepreneurs, emphasizing role models just ahead in their journeys for relatable inspiration. With EmpowHER HERstory, Enstack also wants to celebrate women who have reached the C-suite, built billion-peso businesses, or created an impact on millions of Filipino lives while juggling different personal roles, with an aim to motivate audiences toward even bigger dreams and substantial ambitions.

This series brings to the fore influential women including:

●       Yangyang Zhang, Xendit's Chief Innovation Officer, known for her pivotal role in financial innovation across Southeast Asia;

●       Ruoshan Tao, Canva's Head of Marketing for Southeast Asia and Latin America, who is transforming digital design accessibility worldwide;

●       Ambe Tierro, Country Managing Director at Accenture Philippines, who is setting the standard for excellence in the IT and consulting industry;

●       Berna Romulo-Puyat, Deputy Governor at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, instrumental in shaping national financial and economic policy; and

●       Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, renowned for her dedication to community development and governance.

In the Philippines, women hold 39% of senior management^[1] and have surpassed men in tertiary education enrollment, with a ratio of over 2.57 million women to 1.87 million men in AY 2021-2022^[2]. However, the labor force participation rate for women is at 34.5%^[3], highlighting a discrepancy that underscores the critical importance of visible, diverse female leaders to inspire the next generation.

"Within Enstack's ecosystem, where nearly 70% of merchants are women, we are deeply committed to amplifying female entrepreneurship and underscoring the significant impact women have on the economy. EmpowHER HERstory is about the power of visibility and representation. It's about revealing not only the achievements of women but also the paths they've taken, the obstacles they've overcome, and the significant impacts of their journeys,” shares Enstack's CEO, Macy Castillo. “This initiative is our way of inspiring viewers to dream bigger, encouraging not just young women but people from all walks of life to challenge norms, break barriers, and pursue their dreams with relentless passion."

 

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About Enstack

Enstack is changing the way businesses are built by empowering everyone to become entrepreneurs. Enstack is more than just a  mobile app that removes barriers in starting a business. By integrating Artificial Intelligence into the core of business building, it is a transformative force in entrepreneurship, providing tools and a supportive ecosystem to help its users dream bigger, build smarter businesses, and live richer lives. For more information on the Enstack Magic update and to join a community of forward-thinking entrepreneurs, visit www.enstack.com.

 

 

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^[1] 2022 Women in Business Report, Grant Thorton

^[2] Commission on Higher Education

^[3] Philippine Statistics Authority

When developing tech leaders, a global perspective is key - Shopee cultivates tech talent with overseas training and exposure

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Over the last decade, technology has radically changed the way businesses all over the world look and operate. Accompanying this meteoric change among businesses, is the need for different leadership traits.

According to Forbes[1], key traits that future leaders will need to possess include the ability to embrace technology and employ a global citizen mindset. This mindset includes celebrating diversity and understanding new cultures in order to gain knowledge on how to enter and succeed in new global markets. On the other hand, embracing technology will allow leaders to improve efficiency in the organization.

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, continues to instill these fundamental traits into young, tech-driven talent through the Global Leaders Program. This year marks its fourth iteration as it continues to mold tech leaders of tomorrow.

The Global Leaders Program is a 2-year graduate program consisting of four 6-month local and overseas rotations open to final-year students and young professionals with up to two years of working experience. Participants can expect to receive mentorship from senior management, a rigorous training curriculum under the various Shopee departments, and the opportunity to work on highly impactful projects. And one of the key experiences of the Global Leaders Program is the opportunity to work in different Shopee markets across the region and gain pivotal exposure to the tech industry. Throughout the overseas rotation, Shopee will provide mobility support to GLP Associates to ensure hassle-free overseas accommodations and seamless visa applications.

Karen Perez, Head of People at Shopee Philippines, said “At Shopee, we understand how crucial developing a global perspective is in pushing the Philippine tech industry forward. Through the overseas rotations of the Global Leaders Program, we believe that we can help broaden the horizons of young Filipino talent. We are deeply committed to delivering more opportunities to hone the skills of young Filipino professionals and support the growth of our local digital economy.”

Jan, a GLP associate currently completing her second overseas rotation in Thailand under the Marketing Department, has shared what influenced her decision to apply. “The promise of diverse rotation and regional exposure at such a young age attracted me to the Global Leaders Program. I believe the program brings in many unique opportunities that would allow me to launch my career and create immediate impact.” she said.

For Lance, another GLP associate that is also currently assigned to Thailand, the opportunity to gain regional exposure abroad has provided him with a better understanding of our local situation. He shared, “Being able to live and work in the same company, but in a different country immediately provides me with a new ‘perspective’. This is quite useful because it helps me notice the differences between Thailand and the Philippines in terms of the needs of our buyers and sellers, organizational structure, and working-style. These differences helped me strategize on how we can better tailor our solutions or ways of working to fit different local contexts.”

Koko, on the other hand, completed his overseas training in Singapore last August 2021. Being trained abroad gave him the opportunity to grow as both a professional and an individual. He said, “I was able to experience different work functions, roles, industries, and even markets in the short span of two years. I also had the opportunity to take on a lot of responsibility early on in my career, which helped me build confidence in my own knowledge and skills.”

Young Filipinos looking to challenge themselves and drive change in the tech industry are welcome to apply to Shopee’s Global Leaders Program here: https://careers.shopee.ph/GLP. The application period has been extended until April 30 2022.

[1] This Is What Leadership Will Be In 2030

Celebrating women on top: How these female leaders made their impact

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Despite gender biases in the workplace, especially for industries traditionally dominated by men, women are now rising to the top and showcasing their unique brand of leadership.

Eastern Communications, a premier telecommunications company in the country, believes in diversity and inclusion and with two women at the helm, the company’s success is a showcase of what women leaders can do in the workplace. Moreover, its key partners, Plantation Bay and Australian - New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, also led by powerful women can also attest to the effectiveness of having women at the top.

How have these women made an impact in their respective fields? Here are some insights on their experiences.

The power of positive influence

Cherry Allego
Plantation Bay General Manager

Being in the industry for 15 years, Plantation Bay General Manager Cherry Allego says that believing in the power of influence within an organization can greatly impact people’s behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions.

Because to her, “Greatness is not measured merely by how long you served or by your gender. It is how you influence others to do great. With this, we grow together in our field of expertise and take pride in the learnings we acquired through the years.”

Allego also continues to emphasize the importance of understanding what the organization needs and trusting the capabilities of your group in order to prosper together. Moreover, she is driven by the power of giving and getting full support through influencing others to strive for growth and excellence.

“The secret is to serve with all your heart. There is nothing to fear when you know you have the full support of the group,” she added.

Unwavering perseverance

Maricar Gonzales
Executive Director for Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce

For the executive director for Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, Maricar Gonzales understands the challenge of proving yourself as a woman worthy of a higher position while steering a company in the middle of a pandemic.

“It’s just ingrained in me that failure is not trying. I focus on what needs to be done, and more importantly, the why. Also, when things don’t work out, I see it as a step closer to success and just keep progressing” she stated.

The year 2020 might have been a rough year for most industries but Gonzales said that the last year has been the best year for the chamber since it began 40 years ago. Her ability to lead the company towards success in these taxing times can be attributed to her consistent persevering attitude.

Fostering employee wellbeing

Atty. Aileen Regio
Eastern Communications Co-Coordinator

Eastern Communications not only takes pride in their personalized customer service but as well as their prioritization over their employee’s wellbeing. For the company’s co-coordinators Atty. Aileen Regio and Hermi Hizon, although there were challenges in creating a better environment that could improve the management practices of the company, the duo were able to power through.

As they transitioned to a more refreshed company culture that promotes a strong connection between staff and executives, this matter began to disappear.

“While we continuously distinguish ourselves as a telco with personalized customer service, we also make sure that our employees’ needs and concerns are being attended just as how we do it to our clients,” shared Atty. Regio.

Hermi Hizon
Eastern Communications Co-Coordinator

Despite the pandemic bringing great challenges to the company, the combined teamwork of Atty. Regio and Hizon together with their diligent employees has helped Eastern Communications thrive during this time.

According to Hizon, “The pandemic is one of the biggest challenges we faced as a company and as leaders, we have to be agile and be on top of everything to be able to adapt to the new environment. We appreciate the coordination of the whole company and for trusting us in this trying time.”

As people observe more women competently serving as leaders, it will no longer seem strange that a woman is in charge. But there still is a long way to go. A great and fearless leader is defined not by their gender but by how they rise to success together with their people.