The first International Students Day Leadership and Career talk in the Philippines were held at the Training Hall 8F Community Center, last November 18, 2017.

The event, organized by the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) in partnership with Coca-Cola FEMSA and AdDU SAMAHAN aimed to spread information about jobs and companies outside the school.

Two guest speakers from Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines shared insights, experiences, and advice from their respective careers.

The first speaker, HR Manager, VisMin Commercial Unit of Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Maria Leah Reyes shared her thoughts on leadership.

“Leadership is not something to be built by yourself. You cannot even demand it. It’s something else. A leader’s job is to try to help everybody else get better,” Reyes, explained.

In her speech, she revealed the true reason why she stayed with the company for 33 long years.

“Find what you are good at and do it. Don’t waste your life. What made me stay in Coca-Cola FEMSA for 33 years? I stayed not because I want to survive, but because I want and I love what I do,” Reyes, said.

Reyes also shared her hopes for the younger generation.

“I saw in you a lot of potential. Your presence here signifies your will to succeed and excel. I would like to believe that these (referring to the audience) are the leaders of the future,” Reyes, said.

The second discussant, Sales Manager of Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Jovert Pondoc, explained the value of his job. “In the Philippines, we have 19 plants and imagine we are serving 340 billion consumers, that’s how big our responsibility is,” Pondoc, said.

He also shared his perspective in having a career in FEMSA.

“I can tell you, and I’m proud to tell you that I have the most wonderful job in the world. Why? Because, my job is to sell this product, a very popular product, a well known brand in the world. I don’t think na I would be like this without the help of my company who helped me develop myself who helped me develop my career,” Pondoc, shared.

National Chairperson of SCAP Khryzza Mae Pinzon shared the value of the leadership and career talk.

“It’s an eye-opener. Especially, hearing from key people from Coke and also sharing career advices. Especially, ako graduating man gud ko and I’m one of the students na mga ginaingnan nila na walay trabaho ang course after. So, it’s good to see na naay companies like Coke who accepts diverse culture, diverse courses, diverse personalities,” Pinzon, explained.