THE Philippine Christian University (PCU) graduate program in business management was brought to the region by Dr. Eduardo P. Malagapo, a professional mechanical engineer who turned educator after his retirement from the Saudi Electricity Company. He was already managing an international school that caters mostly to Filipino students as well as other selected nationals when he established the PCU Middle East Graduate Education Program in Business Management in Al Khobar with eight students enrolled in the MBA program. Classes were held during the weekend and conducted in an actual classroom environment. The initial eight students were all Filipinos, gainfully employed, and from various backgrounds: three engineers, an agriculturist, an accountant, a supervisor nurse, a human resource manager, and a working journalist. A team of local lecturers and professors, who are supported by visiting professors from the PCU in Manila, now conducts the classes in Al Khobar, Manama, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The program has already produced graduates who are on their way to becoming future business leaders in their respective fields of specialization. The PCU lectures follow the Harvard Business School model. Malagapo told Saudi Gazette why the Harvard method is important and significant for the graduate expatriate students. “Harvard uses the case analysis system, and we wanted our graduate students to be familiar in approaching business problems utilizing case analysis tools applied by Harvard. There are two types of case analysis formats we use in our MBA program: the Harvard and Fred David's Steps. Both are utilized depending on the given case. The Harvard method is used in applying the quantitative and graphical approach in case analysis, but for convenience, it is the one practiced by most graduate students.” “Because an MBA provides our students with a roadmap in tackling issues likely to crop up in fast developing business cycles, the emphasis is to hone them to strategically approach emerging problems in the workplace with the package of management skills they have learned,” Malagapo stressed. What motivated Malagapo in establishing the PCU graduate education program in business management? “It was my desire – a vision if you like – to empower Filipino migrant workers and other expatriates who are interested to pursue higher education while they are deployed overseas and hopefully become successful entrepreneurs and business leaders upon their final return to their countries,” he explained. He said he was also inspired and encouraged by the mission and vision of PCU in helping and supporting Filipino migrant workers and other expatriates in pursuing their graduate education while working overseas. “Having an MBA or PhD degree, will ably prepare and equip these migrant workers with the needed business management skills in facing competition in the global market. These are profound commitments,” he added. Malagapo particularly cited Dr. Greg Melchor C. De Lara, Vice President for Academic Affairs at PCU for supporting the university's Middle East graduate studies program by regularly traveling to Bahrain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi and conducting classes and business seminars for the graduate students based in these GCC regions. The total number of MBA graduates since the program was introduced in October 2005 is 75, excluding three who completed a Master's degree in Educational Management. Eight graduate students, including two Filipinos and six Bahrainis, were also conferred a doctorate in Business Management. Success stories Four recent MBA graduates pooled their resources and established a consultancy company with a legal permit to operate in UAE. The group has signed a number of consultancy agreements with local companies and is doing well. Elma Valera Canja, who was already an entrepreneur when she enrolled in the PCU MBA program, has expanded her Filipino school in Abu Dhabi with a current enrolment of over 1,500 students. She also owns a chain of restaurants and condominium in Abu Dhabi and Philippines. Rolando Pulido, an engineer who belonged to the first batch of MBA graduates from Al Khobar, is now managing an engineering and construction company in the Philippines, and has signed long-term contracts with Nestle Philippines and other multinational companies in the Philippines. He is also lecturing HVAC in two Philippine universities. Another success story is that of the husband and wife team of Julius Rosete and Lynnette Rosete. While still taking up their MBA in 2009, they established their own company in Manila, winning bids in agricultural projects in the Philippines. Julius Rosete was also hired by ZTE Company as the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) in charge of all technical activities in the Philippines with a monthly salary of $12,000. Murry Fajardo Demdam completed his MBA in 2009 and is now the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a large Saudi company specializing in oil and gas pipelines construction and installation with multi-million Saudi riyal contracts with the Saudi National Oil company. Now completing his dissertation for his doctorate in Business Management, Demdam has recently established a human resource development and recruitment company in the Philippines. In his quest to provide the highest business education for migrant workers, particularly Filipinos, Malagapo revealed his personal philosophy towards this impetus: “My personal philosophy in life is really simple: You will reap what you sow. This is my experience in my life, and I praise God for His goodness. Our MBA and PhD graduates are now harvesting what they planted as a result of their pursuit of higher business education.”
