Nanyang MBA

From Manila to Singapore: How Four Philippines Alumni Found Their Path at Nanyang MBA

It is a long 2,370km from Manila, Philippines to Singapore as the crow flies – so what led Philippines-based Nanyang MBA alumni Victor Medina, Laura Lutao, Eddie Diong-An, and Dustin Masancay to pursue further education in Nanyang Business School, so far away from home?

Various challenges led them to weigh diverse factors – school ranking, Singapore’s vibrant business environment, and diverse cohort, among other things – and ultimately choose the Nanyang MBA.

Here are six takeaways that Victor, Laura, Eddie and Dustin learned during their time at the Nanyang MBA – lessons they hope their MBA compatriots can take to heart.

Disruption can be a starting point for change

These Nanyang MBA alumni decided to join the programme to overcome perceived career disruptions back home.

On the other hand, Laura felt an MBA “would help me build my business acumen so that I’m not just fit for a technical role, but I can also be in leadership or management,” she says. “I can become more flexible in the opportunities I can take in the future.”

Eddie and Victor – both oil and gas engineers – found themselves at different crossroads as the industry changed around them. “With the energy transition in full swing, I couldn’t envision a promising future,” Eddie explains. “So I decided to future-proof my career with an MBA.”

A world-class MBA education is just a short flight away from home

Singapore is only a three-hour flight from Manila, with a significant Filipino community that helps ease the transition for Nanyang MBA participants from the Philippines.

Following advice to study in the country or region where he wanted to work, Eddie decided to limit his b-school search to Southeast Asia – “Nanyang Business School was at the top of the list,” he admits. “I also liked that it was a 12-month programme, so I could quickly return to the workforce.”

Eddie and Victor also drew support from the APEC Scholarship, open only to citizens of “member economies” of APEC, excluding Singapore.

“My APEC Scholarship provided me with the financial security to complete my MBA without the constant worry about expenses,” Victor explains. “Without it, obtaining my MBA from a prestigious institution would have been nearly impossible.”

The rewards of a Nanyang MBA programme are equal to the work you put in

Our Nanyang MBA alumni understood that passing the programme would be no walk in the park: they all came in and committed to the hard work necessary to pass with flying colours.

Laura is committed to the general management track, as part of the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA. “The programme is intensive and compact – we must complete our modules, participate in extracurriculars, enrich our social life, and plan for our career in a year,” Laura explains.

Dustin threw himself into the Nanyang MBA’s team-based discussions and group activities. “Every class has a team-based learning component, and one gets to appreciate participants’ diverse views,” he explains.

Taking the general management track, Dustin carved out time to participate in out-of-classroom experiences like the Venture Capital Investment Competition and case competitions, “which I organised as VP for case competitions,” he adds.

Capstone modules let you test your new insights in the real world

The Nanyang MBA’s capstone modules provided opportunities for hands-on experiences that helped our Nanyang MBA participants synthesise what they’d learned in the lecture room.

“Strategy Projects At Nanyang (SPAN) was a good peek into what happens behind the scenes in consulting,” Dustin recalls. “My team helped a non-profit augment their offerings and re-evaluate their business model. And our mentor challenged our thinking and asked us the right questions.”

He also joined a Business Study Mission (BSM) to Japan, engaging directly with business leaders and thinkers.

Laura felt that the Leading People Globally (LPG) capstone module proved especially helpful in her post-MBA career.

“LPG honed me to become more culturally intelligent, which is essential in my transition from a local role to a regional role,” she explains. “Ultimately, LPG brought a new perspective of how we can turn cultural differences into something advantageous and harmonious.”

The Nanyang MBA opened doors – but it was up to them to step through

Despite these new opportunities, they still needed to use what they’d learned well. “An MBA can open doors and provide a foundation for planning and implementing projects, but ultimately, it’s your work ethic and ability to deliver results that matter most,” Dustin explains. “Employers really care that you get the job done right.”

The Nanyang MBA experience teaches you much about yourself – not just the business world at large

Above all, the Nanyang MBA experience is centred on self-learning — “a journey of self-discovery,” as Dustin puts it. “The Nanyang MBA is a good way of moving you out of your comfort zone—if you’re up for the challenge.”

Eddie and Victor found that their horizons in the oil and gas industry had broadened considerably post-MBA. “As engineers in my industry take up leadership positions, it’s not engineering skills that matter,” Eddie explains. “The Nanyang MBA equips a leader with essential management and business skills, enabling them to become a better manager and make better business decisions.”

The Nanyang MBA taught Victor about the concept of disruptive innovation: “We should learn to disrupt ourselves rather than be disrupted – challenge your own status quo and innovate within your personal lives and professional careers.”

Finally, Laura credits the Nanyang MBA for helping her become more agile and better at handling cross-cultural encounters: “it has prepared me to take on new roles from one company to another with ease,” she tells us. “You learn outside of the bounds of the classroom simply by being surrounded by competitive people with so much to share.”

Conclusion: Discovering new opportunities

Having completed their programme, these participants from the Philippines have realised that the experience was just the starting point – with a wealth of opportunities opened to them after completing the programme.

Nanyang MBA aspirants from the Philippines can learn from their experiences and blaze their own trail in the Nanyang MBA and beyond – whether you return to the Philippines or build careers in the wider world, you’ll also absorb the frameworks, experience, insights, and community that these alumni developed at the Nanyang MBA.

The Nanyang MBA is a flexible 12-month or 18-month programme designed to fuel your growth into a future-ready leader equipped with the skills needed to excel in a global, digital environment. The programme aims to develop impactful, culturally adept leaders who embrace the connection between business, technology, and innovation to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change.