The AmCham Business Leadership Program (BLP) is designed to develop leadership in all its forms—business, civic, ethical, and personal—among promising Filipino undergraduate students who are preparing to take on future roles in their communities and organizations.

The AmCham BLP believes that leadership is learned not through position or theory alone, but through exposure, reflection, responsibility, and the discipline of engaging real people and real problems.

Through direct exposure to multinational companies and engagement with senior business leaders, the program helps participants understand how leadership is exercised in real settings: how decisions are made, how responsibility is carried, and how organizations contribute to the country’s economic and social development.

The BLP offers well-qualified undergraduate Filipino students an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of key global business and economic issues through a carefully designed program of company site visits, structured discussions, and close interaction with management professionals from a wide spectrum of top AmCham member companies and facilities in and around Manila, as time permits.

In addition, the BLP aims to:

• Provide a venue for the constructive exchange of ideas among aspiring young leaders from universities across the country;
• Strengthen students’ analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills within real-life business and organizational environments; and
• Enhance communication, collaboration, and leadership presence, particularly in engaging with professionals from AmCham member companies.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

The BLP is a ten-day immersive program for university students, consisting of company visits, meetings with CEOs and senior executives, and a mentored business project—each component intentionally designed as a leadership learning experience.

Company Visits

Participants are exposed to the real-world operations of multinational companies through site visits and meetings with top company officers. The program provides a rare opportunity for students from different universities and backgrounds nationwide to learn together and engage directly with corporate leaders of prestigious international firms.

Companies visited represent various industries, including banking, business process outsourcing, consumer products, hotels, information and creative communications technology, manufacturing, nutrition, energy, development, and logistics.

During each site visit, a senior company executive engages the students in discussion, sharing insights on the company’s operations, leadership challenges, and the broader context of the industry.

Talks

Throughout the program, students attend interactive talks by key officers from AmCham member firms and partner organizations. Topics range from current global and local business issues—viewed from a multinational perspective—to practical leadership concerns such as people management, business ethics, decision-making under uncertainty, and navigating the professional world.

Business Project

Participants are divided into diverse teams composed of students from different schools, disciplines, and backgrounds. Each team is tasked to apply what they have learned by working collaboratively on a business project—a Business Plan—whose topic or industry will be announced.

Teams present their plans to a panel of selected judges at the end of the program. The three best projects and the best individual presenter are recognized during the closing Awards Dinner.

Project details and guidelines are provided and explained to participants before the start of the program.

Other Activities

Participants have opportunities to interact with BLP alumni, U.S. Embassy officers, the AmCham Board of Directors, company partners, and other AmCham members during the pre-program Welcome Reception and the closing Awards Dinner. These activities allow students to build relationships, exchange perspectives, and strengthen their leadership networks.

Successful candidates will also have the privilege of taking the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) and receiving a Certificate of Accomplishment.

BLP participants may also attend selected AmCham activities during the program week, such as committee meetings or a General Membership Meeting, allowing further interaction with AmCham members.

SCHEDULE

The BLP begins with a Welcome Program led by the BLP Committee members, followed by a team-building activity designed to foster camaraderie and collaboration.

All activities begin at 7:00 a.m. daily at the AmCham office or at AIM, where participants will be billeted in Makati. Given the program’s intensive nature, early starts are necessary.

Each day includes breakfast meetings with CEOs, company visits, and scheduled talks. A detailed schedule will be provided to each participant.

Students return to the AmCham office in the evening (around 7:00 p.m., depending on the day’s schedule) for dinner and team work on their Business Plan.

The eleven-day program concludes with the presentation and judging of the Business Plans, followed by the Awards Dinner.

ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be:

1. Filipino citizens
   b) Currently in their 3rd year of a 4-year course or 4th year of a 5-year course, Business majors or enrolled in any discipline (e.g., engineering, IT/technology management, education, economics, accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, culinary arts, architecture, multimedia arts, etc.) in Academic Year 2024–2025
   c) Proficient in English, with the ability to express ideas clearly, listen actively, and engage respectfully in discussion
   d) Demonstrating documented leadership behaviors, such as initiative, responsibility, teamwork, service, or influence—whether exercised formally or informally
   e) With strong scholastic records that reflect discipline, consistency, and commitment to learning

Application Process

Applicants must submit the following:

• Temporary Transcript of Records and Certification of latest GPA, or Certification of General Weighted Average (GWA) from the Registrar, including the school’s grading system and computation method
• Resumé highlighting leadership roles, initiatives, or situations where responsibility and initiative were demonstrated
• Completed Application Form
• Essays (topics indicated on the Application Form), designed to assess judgment, values, self-awareness, and capacity for reflection

The BLP Committee conducts an initial screening based on submitted documents. Shortlisted applicants undergo Verbal English Proficiency and Leadership Competency Assessments, as well as General and Critical Reasoning Tests, followed by a personal interview.

Final selections are made after the interview, and both students and their schools are notified in writing.

ONLY 30 STUDENTS WILL BE SELECTED NATIONWIDE

COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSES

There is no cost for applying to or participating in the BLP.

All participants are housed at AIM Hotel in Makati for the duration of the program. Transportation to and from Makati (by land for Luzon participants and by air for those from the Visayas and Mindanao), as well as transportation and meals during program activities, are fully provided by AmCham