What can we build together today that Filipinos will still benefit from in 2044?

On 16 October 2026, the Eisenhower Fellows Association of the Philippines marked its 18th anniversary at the Ayala Museum with that question. The room was full of leaders from government, business, academe, civil society, media and the development community. Most of them were 40 or younger, the generation that will carry the country's institutions in 2044. Our Chair Emeritus, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, spoke on leading beyond our own generation. That means starting work that others will finish, building institutions worthy of trust, and giving young leaders real room to lead. Prof. Randy David then described where the country stands. He argued that our task is not to write a new constitution or wait for a savior but to make the one we already have actually work. Jamela Alindogan of Al Jazeera moderated two Leadership Dialogue sessions: 🔹 Gov. Trina Firmalo-Fabic on moving from personality-based to systems-based governance. "Good governance can be good politics." 🔹 Dr. Erika Fille Legara on starting with "AI for what?" and closing the gap between AI policy and practice 🔹 Paolo Borromeo on business as a partner for progress and on rebuilding trust in institutions 🔹 Dr. JC Punongbayan on growth, inflation, debt and why 2028 is pivotal 🔹 Dr. Robin Michael Garcia on the global and domestic forces that will shape the next 18 years 🔹 Regine Cabato on how the disinformation machine works and where each of us can break it Dr. Rafael Bundoc closed the evening by drawing the speakers' messages together into two themes: trust and hope. He ended with a plea for all of us to build a better Philippines for his grandchildren and for the generations to come. THANK YOU To our speakers and guests, and to Ayala Foundation and the Ayala Museum for hosting us. Our thanks and congratulations to our Chairman, Ayi Hernandez, whose leadership brought this forum to life. And to the Fellows who made this day happen: 🔸 Ayi Hernandez and Dan Songco, for putting together the program 🔸 Edwin To, for logistics coordination and technical support 🔸 Stephanie Caragos, for the graphic layouts, collateral designs, invitations and registration 🔸 Louella Oco Pesquera, for helping welcome our guests 🔸 Ivy Cloma-Rosales, for the same day edit and photos 🔸 Dr. Erika Fille Legara and Dr. Robin Michael Garcia, for being part of the panel 🔸 Jamela Alindogan, for moderating the dialogues 🔸 Dr. Rafael Bundoc, for the inspiring closing And to all the Eisenhower Fellows of the Philippines and Ayala team members who helped recommend the young leaders to invite to be part of this conversation. This forum was meant as a beginning. As our moderator put it: "Let's stay hopeful in the business of hope." #TheNext18Years #EFAP18 #EisenhowerFellows #EisenhowerFellowships #PhilippineLeadership #Leadership #EFjourney