SM City Laoag hosts Cooperative Youth Summit to develop future leaders

SM City Laoag hosted the Cooperative Youth Summit (CYS) on 23 October, bringing together Bachelor of Science in Cooperative Management students from state universities and colleges (SUCs) to strengthen their knowledge of cooperative principles and develop leadership skills.

With the theme “Next-Gen Leaders for a Cooperative Future,” the summit provided a platform for students to exchange ideas, learn from industry practitioners, and explore how cooperative values can be applied to real-world business challenges and community needs.

The activity aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of cooperative management while developing their critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making skills.

The program featured morning seminars with speakers from the cooperative sector, who shared insights into cooperative principles, industry trends, and management practices.

In the afternoon, participants engaged in collaborative presentations, proposing solutions to real-life cooperative and business-related scenarios. The activity allowed them to apply their classroom learning while strengthening their analytical and communication skills.

The summit concluded with an interactive knowledge challenge that tested participants’ understanding of cooperative management and their ability to think critically under pressure. Outstanding participants received recognition for their performance.

Beyond academic learning, the event also sought to strengthen partnerships among state universities and colleges, cooperative organizations, and youth groups to promote collaboration and the continued development of the cooperative sector.

Through the initiative, organizers aimed to encourage young people to take an active role in advancing inclusive growth and sustainable cooperative development while preparing them to become competent, ethical, and community-oriented cooperative professionals.