AmCham Business Orientation Program (BOP) 2009

BOP 2009 Sponsors

BOP 2009 received generous support from Asian Hospital and Medical Center, MeadJohnson Nutrition (Bristol-Myers), CalEnergy, CB Richard Ellis, Citibank, Chevron, Convergys, Ford Philippines, Goodyear, Genpact Philippines, International SOS, John Clements Consultants, Peregrine, Philip Morris, SunPower Manufacturing, TOEIC Hopkins International, and Renaissance Makati City Hotel.

BOP has also received generous in-kind support from Quantum Hotels and Resorts (residence of provincial students) Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines – (for beverages & prizes/ gifts), DataOne Asia, PLDT Business Solutions, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Tokyo Tokyo Inc., Golden Arches Development Corp.-McDonalds (meal Stubs), Procter & Gamble and SC Johnsons (Company Products).

This year the program extended to include a wider range of universities, and include students from Baguio (University of Baguio, St. Louis University), Pampanga (Holy Angel University), Metro Manila (Centro Escolar University, Collegio de San Juan de Letran, De La Salle University, Far Eastern University, University of Asia and the Pacific, University of the East, University of the Philippines), Cebu (University of Cebu and University of the Philippines), Dumaguete (Siliman University), Mindanao (UP-Davao and Ateneo de Zamboanga ), and ARMM (Mindanao State University-Marawi City).

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Student Selection

Increased area coverage-- 28 students from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao:

NCR 11

North Luzon 7

Visayas 4

Mindanao 6

Total 28

Females 16
Males 12

Total Number of Applicants -- 67
Post Exam/ Assessment -- 43
Post Interview -- 41
BOP Final Numbers -- 28

KEY Elements/ Deliverables

Cocktail Night (with TJ Manotoc)
11 Company Visits
5 Breakfast with the CEOs
4 Resource Speakers
Meet and Greet US Ambassador Kenney
1 Business Project (Harvard Business Review)
AmCham General Membership Luncheon Meeting with Gina Lopez (ABS CBN)
Awards Dinner
Media Participation/ Press Coverage
TOEIC (Test of English as International Communication)

BOP Ambassadors,

Come and Join Batch 7 for the BOP 2009 Awards Dinner on April 25 (Saturday) @ 6PM, Romy & Peony Rooms, Renaissance Makati City Hotel.

Celebrate and reminisce the time when you were once a BOP Participant -- and had your Awarding Night.

RSVP Abbie Flores on or before April 24, 2009 @ 3pm.

Cheers

BUSINESS ORIENTATION PROGRAM (BOP) 2009 - Cocktail Invite for the BOP Alumni

Dear BOP Alumni,

Greetings!

AmCham and the BOP Committee would like to invite you all to attend the Pre-Cocktail Night on April 18, 2009 from 6:00pm to 8:30pm at AmCham Hall, 2F Corinthian Plaza Building, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

Meet and greet the BOP 2009 Participants and share to them your experiences as BOP Alumni.

Attached BOP 2009 Activities for your reference.

Please confirm your attendance by replying to this email or call Abbie at 818 7911 to 13.

We hope to see you all.

Support BOP 2009!

AmCham BOP "The Best Meets The Best."



Best Regards

Gretel and Her BOP Experience

In one of the grueling process of applying for the American chamber of Commerce Business Orientation Program 2008 – writing an essay explaining why I wanted the opportunity of experiencing BOP - I mentioned there that I came from a very small and sheltered town, where most people know each other and business practices are crude and fundamental, and that I wanted to learn something different from the things that I was currently exposed to. By the way, I am still living in the same place, still experiencing and immersing myself in the same business practices. However, the significance of the experiences I got from BOP has magnified lately for the time of breaking away from our small town is coming fast and a new culture is looming overhead. The American Chamber of Commerce Business Orientation Program has provided me a glimpse of this new culture, of this new set of ideals and has oiled my transition to a new place.

The program package included visits to multinational corporations. There, I witnessed firsthand the sheer energy and presence emanating from top executives. Observing them, listening to their talks, and learning about their ideals have given me ideas of what to expect when I get out from the academe and face the real world. Furthermore, each organization’s best practices and code of ethics were showcased. Seeing and exposing myself with the best players in the various industries have not only increased my understanding of the various organization’s vision and objectives, but I was able to grasp the industry with which a certain organization operates in. This hands-on educational experience shall be valuable when I shall be pursuing my career as an auditor of a public auditing firm.

Moreover, in the laboratory of that whole-week program, we grouped ourselves into teams and slaved over our business plans. The Business Plan Competition demanded that we plan and coordinate our actions properly in order to meet the 1-week deadline. Creativity and persuasive arguments were expected and thankfully, our group had them – though we only ranked 3rd. Victory was not only in the Bronze medals received, but also in the knowledge gained by performing the whole process of pooling, choosing and defending ideas.

There were of course freebies and perks that we experienced during the whole program that sweetened the whole journey. We took free TOEIC exams, where some of us got great scores – expected of course from being the “Best of the Best”, we stayed at a hotel within walking distance to malls – which was a godsend for us provincianas, and we got site tours in fascinating factories.

One of the most important parts of the whole experience for me was that I got to meet and talk with great minds – and I was able to obtain a calling card or two from executives, and mobile numbers from co-delegates. I was really impressed by them and the program provided a great opportunity to weave a larger network of great and sharp minds.

If I am asked if I would go through the same grueling process of applying for the BOP again, my answer would still be a resounding Yes! BOP has indeed opened a lot of doors for me, it has linked me with amazing individuals, and it has paved my road to a bigger world. I would forever be grateful for the American Chamber of Commerce for providing students like me – who come from sheltered towns – to experience the best and what it is like to be the best. I believe the knowledge and wisdom we obtained along the way was worth all the effort and time answering test questions and replying to interview queries