Gesmundo inducts new MAP officers
CHIEF Justice Alexander Gesmundo led the induction of the 2023 Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Board of Governors during MAP’s 75th Inaugural Meeting held in Taguig City on Tuesday.
Benedicta “Dick” Du-Baladad, the founding partner and CEO of Du-Balabad & Associates, will lead the MAP for 2023 with her election as its 75th president.
Du-Baladad brings to the table a solid experience in management, having earned a joint degree in the Masters of Law and International Tz Program at Harvard University.
Currently, she works as the Asia-Pacific director for WTS Global in the Netherlands, vice chairman of the Bank of Commerce, and trustee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Institute of Corporate Directors and Women Business Council of the Philippines. She is also a professorial lecturer at the College of Law of the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas.
Joining Du-Baladad on the MAP 2023 Board of Governors are lawyer Alexander Cabrera as vice president, Dr. Donald Lim as treasurer, Maria Corazon Purisima as assistant treasurer, and Karen Batungbacal as secretary.
Also taking on as new MAP governors are Dr. Cielito Habito, Benjamin Punongbayan, Chito Salazar and Martha Sazon.
In her remarks during the meeting, Du-Baladad vowed that during her term as president, she will try to make MAP as the Philippines’ leading organization committed to promoting management excellence for nation-building.
She noted that MAP has a strong membership base of 1,074 leaders “who are significant influencers in their respective fields.”
Du-Baladad said MAP members cut across many industries that share their gains through corporate social responsibility initiatives and economic development.
She said one of MAP’s biggest contributions is leadership excellence.
“From among our ranks came men and women who are called to public service and share their expertise to benefit the country and the Filipino people,” Du-Baladad said.
She stressed that 2023 will still be challenging, as it will be a “continuation of the transition years as we try to move our pandemic experience in the rearview mirror.”
“Now we have to set our sights with cautious optimism,” she said.
Du-Baladad stressed that the biggest challenge is “recovery not just in the economic front but also in the structural rebuilding of the fundamentals needed to address the impact of the digital transformation and the changed business dynamics in our government to our respective organizations.”
In this respect, she said new transformational ideas are needed, as well as a high degree of collaboration across various industries.
Du-Baladad said MAP “can be that linchpin or the hub that will generate ideas and make that collaboration happen.”
She said MAP has solidified its standing as a “professional, impartial and independent organization whose advocacies extend beyond its mission to achieve management excellence.”
“We are a voice that is listened to in many socially relevant issues we initiate to support and reinforce multiple platforms to influence changes for the better,” Du-Baladad said.
Du-Baladad said this is the very first time in the MAP history that four of the nine members of the board are women.
“That alone sets the tone,” she said.