AAAIM supports kaBIKOLan ta! Conference and Workshop: Strengthening Collaboration for Sustainable Bicol

The Alumni Association of the Asian Institute of Management, Inc. (AAAIM) proudly supported the KaBIKOLan ta! conference and workshop held on October 9–10, 2025, at the UMA Hotel & Residences, Naga City.

This milestone event was spearheaded by the International Movement of Development Managers (IMDM) with the strong collaboration of the AAAIM Bicol Chapter, the Central Visayan Institute Foundation (CVIF), the Philippine Bamboo Society of Advocates Inc. (PBSAI), the UP Ibalon Alumni Association, the ABC Stars Foundation (ABC-STARS), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Anchored on the spirit of partnership, the initiative highlighted the power of the AIM alumni network to drive meaningful, cross-sectoral collaboration for sustainable development and good governance in the Bicol region.

The conference brought together Bicol’s leaders from government, business, and academe to forge a unified platform for regional transformation. It opened with executive commitments from AAAIM Chairman Mr. Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy (MBM 1976) and AAAIM Bicol Chapter President Mr. Roden Rojo (MDM 1998) while Convenor Mr. J. Alfonso Z. Carpio (MDM 2003) delivered an inspiring keynote, “The Call for Collaboration and Partnership,” setting the tone for two days of strategic engagement.

Three Core Pillars, Four Working Groups

Day 1 focused on three critical pillars of regional resilience, which became the foundation for four working groups during the Day 2 implementation planning workshop:

•Project Bicolanos for Bicol Bamboo and Beyond (P4B)—Championing bamboo as a driver for economic and climate resilience. Key speakers included DTI Provincial Director Jay Ablan, the Base Bahay Foundation, and Mr. Luis “Cito” Lorenzo, Jr., Chairman of RIZOME.

•Education Crisis Initiatives—Divided into two working groups: the CVIF Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP) and Child Development Centers (CDC). Presentations featured Dr. Christopher C. Bernido (Ramon Magsaysay Awardee) and Ms. Corazon T. Jimenez (MDM 2002), moderated by Ms. Ofelia Odilao-Bisnar (MBM 1988).

•Tarabangan Bicol (Cooperation and Mutual Help)—Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) through insights from Jason Boñaga, AIM Adjunct Faculty, and Dr. Chad Briggs, Academic Program Director for AIM’s Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management.

Forging the Bicol Action Roadmap

Day 2 marked the transition from strategy to action as participants engaged in focused group discussions to define five key result areas (KRAs) and SMART goals for each working group:

•P4B Working Group: Promoting bamboo awareness, expanding market linkages, and integrating bamboo in LGU resettlement programs.

•CDC Working Group: Enhancing child nutrition, teacher training, and parent engagement.

•DRRM Working Group: Strengthening school-community collaboration, implementing continuous IEC campaigns, and ensuring learning continuity and psychosocial resilience.

•CVIF-DLP Working Group: Piloting the DLP in schools, training 100 teachers, developing contextualized learning materials, and institutionalizing partnerships with DepEd, LGUs, and NGOs to achieve the vision—“Every Bicolano child learns for life: resilient, literate, and future-ready.”

The event culminated in a Signing of Commitment Ceremony, symbolizing the participants’ shared dedication to advancing Bicol’s sustainable development and resilience agenda.

AAAIM congratulates all organizers, partners, and alumni who made this impactful initiative possible. Together, we continue to advance the mission of AIM alumni leaders and changemakers committed to nation-building.