“Time and again, Filipinos have shown they can compete and be world-class”
Despite the country’s ongoing flood control scandal—part of deeper systemic issues—I remain inspired by the opportunity of teaching Cross-Cultural Management and International Management to Gen Z and Millennial graduate students at De La Salle University, recognizing their vital role in fostering global understanding and ethical leadership.
This school term, I am teaching Cross-Cultural and International Management at De La Salle University for the eighth time since 2020. Blending key theories—Strategic Business Management, Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions, Trompenaars’ model—with nearly two decades of international experience in Singapore, the UK, and the US is deeply rewarding.
This term’s class is particularly vibrant. Over the weeks, we have covered Philippine virtual assistants, AI and cross-cultural communications, values and work ethics in Southeast Asia, cross-cultural leadership and “Glocal” corporate social responsibility as topics for our research papers.
Yet, as I conduct these classes, there seems to be a cloud of pain and unease, given the current situation in the Philippines. This reality highlights my main argument: there is a growing, urgent need for international and cross-cultural management skills to empower Filipinos to rise above these challenges and succeed globally.
Time and again, Filipinos have shown they can compete and be world-class—whether as icons like Manny Pacquiao, my former boss Manny Pangilinan, leaders such as Manny Maceda (Chairman of Bain & Company), athletes like Alex Eala, or the countless professionals excelling worldwide and at home. Although this list is not exhaustive, it underscores the breadth and depth of Filipino talent globally, regionally, and locally.
International and cross-cultural management is more vital than ever. By embracing the following principles together, we can navigate today’s challenges as a nation.
Be authentic and stay rooted in Filipino values
An effective international and cross-cultural leader must be grounded in a deep sense of national identity. Filipinos both here and abroad, at different levels and in different fields, embody the bayanihan (community) spirit and malasakit (empathy). They stay connected to their Filipino communities and contribute to nation-building in the following ways: sending remittances back to the country, making balikbayan visits with pasalubong for everyone, and contributing to nation-building in visible and quiet ways.
Filipino scholars, among them Sonny Coloma and other colleagues, have long explored the Filipino concepts of diwa (spirit or consciousness) and kapwa (shared identity). These ideas reflect the belief that aligning personal and organizational goals through faith, fellowship, and service creates workplaces that foster personal growth, productivity, and collective continuous improvement. This sense of diwa and kapwa extends not only to organizations but across the private, public, and civil society sectors, shaping how Filipinos lead and collaborate.
Apply cross cultural management to drive positive change
Earlier in my career, I used “Global Best Practices” loosely. When the age of disruption began, I was told to use “good” instead of “best,” as the bar keeps rising. Still, the idea is to search for the relevant and appropriate good practices worldwide, benchmark these practices, and continually refine our own ways of working and living.
On our cross-cultural journey, integrity is non-negotiable. The Integrity Pledge—a commitment by companies, organizations, and government agencies to ethical business and good governance—needs to be reactivated.
It is also critical to keep hope alive and pragmatically drive change. The social challenges are deep, but we should never walk away; as Alexander Pope said, “hope springs eternal.” We need to band in groups to drive change in a pragmatic way—by pragmatic, we mean “path dependency,” where you can go next depends on where you have been.
Be a personal ambassador in thoughts, words, and actions
Yes, the Filipino can, and it starts with each of us.
Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy. We have seen kababayans who strictly follow rules and regulations in their new countries. Yet in the Philippines, these same kababayans may treat, for example, a red light as merely a suggestion and even speed up funnily enough.
Raising one’s global or cultural intelligence, whatever your role or level, starts with small and deliberate steps such as:
• Actively shift from a parochial to a global mindset by staying informed of world events.
• Improve cross-cultural communication by adapting your style to different contexts.
• Continuously benchmark against global good practices to refine your skills.
• Seek international exposure—locally or abroad—to broaden your understanding.
• Most importantly, commit to giving back by guiding others to confidently represent the Philippines internationally.
I encourage you to start taking the above practical steps now—embody the spirit of a global Filipino leader and drive positive change wherever you are.
Yes, the Filipino can be world-class! Seize the opportunity to act today and demonstrate this to the world.
Ramon B. Segismundo is Senior Professional Lecturer at the Department of Management and Organization of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University (DLSU). He is also a practicing leadership coach, management adviser, and business consultant. He can be reached at ramon.segismundo@dlsu.edu.ph.
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.
