Associations to converge in national summit

ASSOCIATIONS play a critical role in society and national growth in three ways: (1) they enrich lives through volunteerism, creating standards of safety and quality, specializing expertise, and building citizenship with communities around the globe, (2) they sustain competitiveness by committing resources to life-long learning, professional development, mentoring and research, and, (3) they impact the economy through industrial development, product and service innovation, and facilitating domestic and international business.

The Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) will tackle these important roles and other related topics designed to share association professionals’ and experts’ insights in creating innovative ways to build a better society and country.

With the theme “Stronger Together,” the PCAAE Associations Summit 5 (AS5) is expected to draw more than 200 association professionals here and abroad. The two-day summit is slated for Nov. 22 to 23 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila, and will feature local and international speakers who will share best practices in association governance, leadership and management as well as showcase outstanding initiatives in community, business, and human capital development.

Participating PCAAE members will earn points that could lead to earning the title Certified Professional Association Executive (CPAE). Suppliers to associations may also take advantage of the B2B opportunities at the AS5 table top exhibition. Supporting the event are the three PCAAE founding institutions, the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB), the PICC, and the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), the umbrella organization of development financing institutions in the region.

PCAAE is dubbed the “association of associations,” as it is the country’s first and only organization that caters to the needs of professional associations and association managers. Since it was formed almost four years ago, the number of association professional members has swollen to 250 representing 170 associations and other membership organizations all over the country. PCAAE also founded and currently serves as the interim secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations (APFAO), a regional network of national membership organizations of associations.

“Through AS5, we hope to help associations know what’s out there in terms of peer best practices as well as for them to think strategically about their future in terms of increasing their sources of revenue, enhancing their profile, and fulfilling their missions. We also invite associations to seize the social and professional development opportunities available from networking in an intimate setting with fellow members of the association community,” said PCAAE volunteer Chief Executive Officer and founder Octavio “Bobby” Peralta.

For registration and other inquiries on AS5, contact Enrique Florencio of the PCAAE Secretariat at 816-1672, e-mail to: inquiries@adfiap.org or visit