AIM and Aviation Partnership Philippines Launch AERO Program to Future-Proof Aviation Leadership
MAKATI CITY, Philippines – On 17 September 2025, the Asian Institute of Management School of Executive Education and Lifelong Learning (AIM-SEELL) and the Aviation Partnership Philippines Corporation (Aplus), with the support of the Cebu Pacific Group, formally sealed their strategic relationship through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for their flagship leadership development initiative, Aplus Executive Readiness & Oversight (AERO) program.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to developing the next generation of aviation leaders, prepared to lead in a dynamic aviation environment. The program, co-designed with AIM, is a purpose-built executive readiness program that strengthens the organization’s resilience, succession pipeline, and long-term competitiveness.
Ahead of the rollout, Aplus and AIM launched AERO during the program kick-off held on 07 November 2025, bringing together leaders, faculty partners, and its inaugural cohort.
Aplus Human Resources and Admin Director Krizia Katrina Lapis described the launch as “future-proofing in action”—a clear commitment to preparing leaders for the fast-evolving aviation industry. She highlighted that Cebu Pacific is expanding boldly with the largest aircraft order in Philippine aviation history and emphasized that amid these changes, people remain the organization’s greatest strength.
Lapis noted that participants were “handpicked because they represent what’s next for Cebu Pacific and Aplus—the future of Engineering and Maintenance,” and that AERO is designed not just for role readiness, but to prepare leaders for the challenges of tomorrow. She encouraged them to pause, reflect, and “unlearn to learn” as they take on the responsibility of leading with integrity, agility, and purpose.
Over the course of an intensive five-month program, participants will embark on a transformative learning journey that integrates leadership mastery, strategic foresight, and disciplined execution. The curriculum blends immersive learning modules, executive coaching, and team-based mentoring, culminating in Action Learning Projects (ALPs) that tackle real strategic challenges within the organization.
“Today marks more than a signature,” said Realino “Buddy” A. Bartido, Adjunct Faculty at AIM and Program Director of the AERO program. “In aviation maintenance, every task touches safety. It touches reliability, it touches on-time performance. Those outcomes depend on leadership. How we set strategy, how we organize our teams, and how we execute with discipline are all very important. This partnership signals Aplus’ commitment to invest in its leaders so that aircraft return to safety—faster, better, and safer every time.”
A Coherent Learning Journey of Impact
What makes the AERO program distinctive is its focus on both personal transformation and organizational impact. Participants are exposed to the Institute’s thought leadership in management, strategy, and execution, then challenged to apply their insights to high-impact projects that directly support Aplus’ mission and growth objectives in relation to the bigger plan of the Cebu Pacific group.
The program’s curriculum is anchored on three leadership pillars:
Leading Self & Others – Enhancing self-awareness, authenticity, and the ability to inspire and mobilize teams. This pillar shapes the foundation of safety, culture, and performance.
Leading Strategy & Growth – Broadening strategic perspective and cultivating foresight to drive competitiveness and innovation in a dynamic aviation environment.
Leading Execution & Impact – Strengthening operational discipline and systems thinking to translate vision into measurable, sustainable business outcomes.
Through AERO, participants enhance their decision-making, self-awareness, and team effectiveness, helping Aplus and Cebu Pacific ensure continuity, competitive advantage, and lasting sustainability in the industry.
“I like that Prof. Buddy talked about how we are the core pillar of reliability, on-time performance, and safety. These are the very core pillars of how we operate,” said Lapis. “This year also marks 20 years of Aviation Partnership in the business. What started as a joint venture is now a fully running organization, a fully owned subsidiary under Cebu Pacific—and with that comes growth, challenges, and pressure on our leaders.”
Lapis emphasized that the collaboration with AIM-SEELL is both timely and strategic:
“We know we have chosen the right partner in enabling our leaders to take us into the next chapter of our growth. We also play a vital role in the growth of tourism in the Philippines, which brings both complexity and challenges. But our intent is clear, we want a robust development plan for our leaders to grow both deeper in understanding the business to operate better and more efficiently but also leading with heart. In aviation, leaders have an evermore vital role in the importance of adaptability, sustainability, and the power of strong leadership to navigate challenges and innovation.”
Behind every resilient organization are leaders who inspire, adapt, and deliver. Through AIM-SEELL custom programs, we help companies cultivate leaders who think strategically, lead authentically, and create lasting impact.
Build your next generation of future-ready leaders today.
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