The University of Santo Tomas (UST) is taking a big step in preparing its students for the world of business. In a new partnership with JA Philippines, UST’s Entrepreneurship Department is set to embed powerful programs Registered Business Professional (RBP) and Entrepreneurial Skills Pass (ESP) into its curriculum this academic year.
The Entrepreneurial Skills Pass (ESP) Program allows students to start and run their own mini-companies. Meanwhile, the Registered Business Professional (RBP) is a certification exam that measures one’s overall business acumen.
This exam puts an individual’s skill to a test across key areas like Financial and Managerial Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Business Communication, Marketing Management, and Human Resource Management.
At their core, these programs have a shared vision: to empower Filipino youth through entrepreneurial and financial education. More than just building traditional business skills, ESP’s hands-on approach and RBP’s knowledge validation are designed to instill leadership, initiative, and problem-solving abilities, preparing a generation ready to innovate and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
To formally kick off this partnership, a signing ceremony was held on June 19th, attended by UST key university officials, including Assoc. Prof. Al Faithrich C. Navarrete, Ph.D. (Dean of the College of Commerce and Business Administration), Asst. Prof. Francis Lawrence B. De Jesus, Ph.D. (Assistant Dean), and Sir Ernesto Alcano. Representing JA PH was Mr. Krishna C. Alejandrino (Executive Director).\
“We are incredibly excited to deepen our collaboration with the University of Santo Tomas,” shared Mr. Krishna C. Alejandrino, Executive Director of JA Philippines. He emphasized that “This partnership amplifies our mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.”
“We believe that education must go beyond the classroom. By embedding RBP and ESP into our curriculum, we are giving Thomasians the chance to experience business in real time—building, failing, learning, and succeeding,” shared Assoc. Prof. Navarrete. “This initiative fully supports our vision of producing entrepreneurs who are not only equipped with knowledge, but also with the creativity, resilience, and grit to thrive in today’s economy.”
What does this partnership mean for UST students? They aren’t just going to learn about business from textbooks anymore. They’re going to do business! This partnership reflects a shared vision between UST and JA Philippines: to shape a generation of future leaders through hands-on, experience-based learning. Ultimately, this partnership will give students a significant competitive advantage as they kickstart their entrepreneurial journeys.
Is your school ready to offer this kind of transformational learning experience? Bring the Entrepreneurial Skills Pass program and RBP to your classrooms. Partner with JA Philippines and empower your students with the business skills to thrive in the real world. Visit www.japionline.org today!
