First Pacific Leadership Academy helps mold future business leaders

MANILA, Philippines - As the leader of the country’s top companies such as PLDT, Smart, Meralco, Maynilad, among others, Manuel V. Pangilinan’s (MVP) vision and untiring passion have improved these companies’ financial status significantly. His leadership qualities continue to inspire others to reach for their dreams and achieve their goals.           

For MVP, a successful leader must have three essential qualities: integrity, competence, and passion. In the case of the First Pacific Group, from about only six employees 31 years ago, it now has about 180,000 employees and dozens of CEOs ensuring that the group’s vision is implemented in each company.

As the group has evolved, diversified, and enlarged, MVP saw the urgent need to identify the talents within the First Pacific family, select them, and develop them to become future leaders of the group. This is where the First Pacific Leadership Academy (FPLA) will play a leading and formative role.

Started last June, the former Meralco Development Center (MMLDC) is now known as the First Pacific Leadership Academy to reflect its transition from a straightforward learning solutions provider and training venue to a full corporate college where corporate leaders can be trained to become the country’s future business leaders.

Roy Agustin Evalle, executive director, First Pacific Leadership Academy

Roy Agustin K. Evalle has been appointed to lead the academy. He is now general manager for leadership succession and development for the First Pacific Group, and executive director of FPLA. Roy brings with him his substantial experience in management from his previous stint with Maynilad and other international organizations in the Philippines, US, Singapore and Indonesia.

“There is a need to identify successors to the group and develop unique management skills of being a Filipino in a global business environment. Thus, the realization of FPLA and its mission will not only address succession issues within its boundaries but will also develop up and coming heads in the First Pacific Leadership culture and modalities,” said MVP. “FPLA is not only essential for the group; it’s also essential to the country.”

Part of FPLA’s strategies as it makes the transition into a corporate college is the alignment of its training and development activities to the succession and executive development requirements of First Pacific. With this, FPLA will partner with various leading local and international academic institutions, consultants, professionals, and other business leaders who can be subject matter experts, trainers, coaches and mentors. Also, among themselves, the heads of the First Pacific companies are composed of excellent leaders and experts — a resource pool of invaluable talent that FPLA harness to ensure continued transference of excellent leadership and best practices.

“I’m excited with FPLA since its corporate college setup will not only strengthen the programs it has already institutionalized before but also encourage continuous learning even among the more seasoned leaders of First Pacific,” he said. “Continuous learning promotes the idea of innovation and it is essential for us to survive the challenges of the future.”

The First Pacific Leadership Academy will be at the forefront in developing dynamic and inspirational future leaders.

Despite the change in name, the academy will continue what it has been doing since its foundation in 1999, for its academic programs and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavors have become essential and integral to its operations. Additionally, FPLA will continue to serve its roster of corporate clients who have long been partners with the academy for their training, organizational development and leadership programs. FPLA corporate clients may continue to expect the kind of efficient business relationship and warm service that they have known MMLDC for.

With FPLA now part of a more dynamic conglomerate, synergy and cooperation among companies will certainly be heightened. Expect FPLA to be at the forefront in developing dynamic and inspirational future leaders enthused and inspired by the leadership qualities represented by MVP.