TO WELCOME THEIR newest set of leaders, the San Beda Junior Marketing Association (SBJMA) held a “Leadership, Apprenticeship, Mentoring Program” (LAMP) at Room 34 N&O of the St. Anselm’s Hall last August 31.
Gary Perez, the SBJMA’s Vice President for Research and Education and the Activity Chair of the event, shared how LAMP 2023 was inspired by their organization theme “SBJMA Engage.” The theme served as a goal for SBJMA to engage their members in leadership, commitment, service, and “marketing excellence. Thus, it discussed their operating procedures with their officers, as well as with SBJMA’s mission, vision, guidelines, and policies.
LAMP 2023 was catered to SBJMA’s Marketing Management trainees, Board of Governors, Junior Officers, and Junior Executive Officers.
In an interview with Malik Roy De Leon, SBJMA’s Junior Officer for Multimedia, and Samantha Sarmiento, a Board of Governors, they shared their insights.
De Leon, being a first-time officer for SBJMA, said he was challenged by this year’s LAMP. “–It challenged me to be the one to initiate and lead, considering that I was one of the oldest members within our group so I had to take initiative to lead our group.”, he explained.
For Sarmiento, LAMP 2023 helped her to be trained to be an effective leader, a great listener, and capable of producing quality events for their organizations.
This year’s LAMP was heavily influenced by Dreamwork’s Kung Fu Panda. Mr. Perez explains that in the movie, Po’s journey from zero to leader is akin to a Bedan marketer; interested and eager to learn. Master Chifu and Master Oogway came into the forms of their guest speakers Willian Lau, SBJMA’s President for A.Y. 2019-2020, Mark Dean Lim, SJBMA 360’s President for A.Y. 2013-2014, and Erika Eustaquio, SBJMA’s Vice President for Talent Management for A.Y. 2014-2015 in teaching them the ways of marketing excellence.
Both de Leon and Sarmiento shared what they learned from the speakers.
For de Leon, he highlighted going back to one’s roots if one has been distracted in their ways of leadership, stating that one’s path may get redirected away from the goal. “By getting back to one’s roots, one would be able to carve out a new path that will lead one back to one goal.” While for Sarmiento, it’s stepping outside of one’s comfort zone by being “prepared to risk something to get the reward that’s been waiting to be claimed.”
Before LAMP 2023’s launch, Perez and the team were pressured to make it memorable, knowledgeable, and inspiring for their officers. Moreover, numerous officers applied, Perez elaborated, which is why they wanted to execute the event.
For De Leon and Sarmiento, the event was a success. As their first times, De Leon had a fun yet insightful day while Sarmiento believed that the event allowed her to be more engaged and involved with more members. She later on added that LAMP 2024 has to be better by allowing more experiences and a distinct unique feel compared to its predecessor.
With LAMP 2023 coming to a close, Mr. Perez believes that their officers have been honed in the ways of being true Bedan marketers. LAMP 2023 is a foundation for SBJMA’s officers to realize that they are capable of becoming a leader through their style and way with the activities conducted within the event.
(with D.S. Elijah de Castro)
Photo courtesy of SBJMA
