A young member of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) facilitated a seminar titled “The Secret”, which focused on understanding the concept of life's deeper meaning through the exploration of one's true self. The seminar aimed to guide the scholars in discovering their authentic selves and the primacy of values as a way to gain insight into their purpose and direction in life. This Life Skills and Motivational Seminar (LSMS) was held at Sky 1 Tower in Binondo, Manila, on the second Sunday of November 2024.
Prior to the start of the seminar, Mr. Jefferson Cheng welcomed the scholars and emphasized the importance of adhering to policies and rules, noting that attending the LSMS is essential for scholars to cultivate and strengthen their values. He also acknowledged the new set of CFBCI officers, commending them for their achievements and their efforts in preparing for the event and warmly welcoming the scholars.
Proceeding with the Serendipity Talk, CFBCI President Mr. Samuel Lee Uy engaged the scholars in broadening their global perspectives by presenting six videos on various global crises and issues. The segment concluded with a discussion on cultivating peace and a sing-along to the song “What the World Needs Now Is Love”, further highlighting the essence of the serendipity talk.
The seminar formally opened with a compelling presentation from Mr. Michael Sean Uy, titled “Secret." Mr. Uy began by briefly sharing his credentials before moving to a more personal narrative, showcasing aspects of himself beyond his professional achievements. He introduced the audience to the GROW model—Goal, Reality, Options, Ways to Improve—a foundational framework for setting and achieving goals.
Mr. Uy then shared the powerful story of James Stockdale, a soldier who endured captivity and torture during the Vietnam War. Stockdale’s survival relied on what is now known as the “Stockdale Paradox," which encourages individuals to confront the harsh reality of their circumstances while maintaining unwavering faith in a positive outcome. Mr. Uy emphasized that although certain factors are beyond our control, this should not deter us from pursuing our dreams. He encouraged the audience to face reality head-on without abandoning their aspirations.
Throughout his talk, Mr. Uy underscored the importance of values in decision-making, advising participants to identify and prioritize what matters most to them. This awareness, he noted, serves as a guiding force in making choices aligned with one’s true self. He also explored the concepts of self-improvement and self-acceptance, posing a thought-provoking question to the audience: “Why do we find it difficult to improve? Perhaps it’s because we struggle to accept ourselves." He invited participants to confront and challenge any negative core beliefs they may hold.
In a memorable part of his presentation, Mr. Uy showed a video clip featuring a “Death Crawl” exercise. In the video, a coach encourages a player to push beyond his perceived limits while blindfolded, symbolizing the importance of overcoming fear and trusting in oneself.
Mr. Uy concluded by discussing the distinction between the “childish untrue self" and the “childlike true self." He referenced the song “Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns, stating, “In order to be successful, we first need to accept ourselves, make choices based on our values, and respond authentically to them." His talk provided attendees with meaningful insights and practical guidance on personal growth and goal achievement.
After Mr. Uy’s inspiring talk, participants shared reflections and insights. The newly elected president, John Elsisura, then shared some reminders and announcements for an upcoming officers' meeting after lunch.
To keep the energy high, Ms. Mexica Bausa, CFBCI’s Public Affairs Officer, organized a lively game of “Pik-Pak-Boom" as attendees awaited their lunch. Two teams—comprising members from UDM and PUP—won the game, with each team member receiving a cash prize of 100 pesos as an energizer reward.
Scholars later enjoyed a Katsudon lunch while the newly elected executive board convened to discuss their agenda and plans for the upcoming year-end party. The seminar was filled with inspiration, interactive activities, and thoughtful planning, setting a productive tone for the days ahead.

菲華工商總會訊：本會為培養「點亮未來」助學方案受助生全方位的成長，開闊學員們的心靈，讓他們吸收新知識，成為德才兼備的青年，每月均會定期邀請學友會成員，以其專業擔任專題講座主講人。十一月九日（星期日）上午，假本會八樓禮堂舉辦今年的第七次修養講座，百餘位受助生及學友會成員出席。理事長黃書瑋偕夫人黃美琳，及文教委員會副主任留牡丹、理事張其安等領導同仁到場聆聽，並給予專業指導。
當天受邀擔任主講人的是本會青年企業委員會理事黃柏凱，他是本會理事長黃書瑋令長郎，菲律濱福特拖拉機公司(Ford Tractor, Philippines, Inc.)副總經理，亦為國際青商會（JCI）馬尼拉分會秘書長，其講座主題為「秘密」（“The Secret”）。 本次主旨側重於引導學員們探索真實自我和價值觀在決策中的重要性，從而理解人生更深層次意義的概念，瞭解自己的人生目標和方向。
講座開始之前，由本會文教委員會理事張其安向所有「點亮未來」助學方案的受助生致詞，他強調了遵守政策和規則的重要性，並指出參加修養講座對於受助生日後成為德才兼備的青年很有益處。他也肯定本會工作團隊所取得的成績，並讚揚大家為籌備此次活動所做的努力。
隨後，本會理事長黃書瑋透過播放六段有關各種全球危機和議題的短影片，開拓學員們全球化視野；該六則短片包括：涉及移民協定對歐洲社區的影響、北約擴張及其對國際信任的影響、衝突對以色列造成的經濟壓力、美國預算對軍事支出的重視、副總統卡馬拉‧哈里斯 (Kamala Harris) 與前總統唐納德‧川普 (Donald Trump) 對和平與衝突的不同看法，以及《福布斯》雜誌對全球最危險與最安全國家的排名等。
理事長黃書瑋邀請受助生們發表他們對觀看影片後的見解；大家均一致達成全球和平對國家經濟繁榮的重要性，以及個人品格與明智投票在促進社會和諧的作用。來自菲律濱理工大學、馬尼拉市立大學以及菲律濱科技大學的受助生們也在會中分享「搞小動作」對各行各業的影響，並強調道德操守的重要性，而不僅僅是與當權者結盟。最後透過演唱「世界現在需要的是愛」(What the World Needs Now Is Love)名曲，強調此次修養講座核心信息。
主講人黃柏凱首先簡單介紹了自己的資歷，然後轉入更加個人化的敘述，展示了自己在專業成就之外的其他方面。他利用「GROW」單詞設定開場，向學員們逐步解釋每個字母相對應的含義：「G」目標Goal、「R」現實Reality、「O」選擇Options、「W」改進方法Ways to Improve；隨後，他分享了詹姆斯‧斯托克代爾（James Stockdale）的精彩故事。斯托克代爾的生存有賴於現在被稱為「斯托克代爾悖論 」的理論，該理論鼓勵人們直面殘酷的現實環境，同時保持對積極結果的堅定信念，儘管某些因素超出了我們的控制範圍，但這不應阻止我們追求夢想。他鼓勵學員們要直面現實，不要放棄自己的理想。
他還與學員們探討了自我完善和自我接納的概念，提出了一個發人深省的問題： 「我們為什麼難以進步？也許是因為我們難以接受自己」。他請學員們正視並挑戰自己可能持有的任何消極核心信念。接著播放了一段「死亡爬行 」練習的視頻。在視頻中，一名教練鼓勵一名球員在蒙著眼睛的情況下超越自己的認知極限，象徵著克服恐懼和相信自己的重要性。闡述了影片中所能學習到的教訓，包括：「超越極限」、「克服恐懼」、「團隊合作與支持」、「相信自己」及「實現不可能的事」等。
主講人黃柏凱陽光帥氣的形象，話題邏輯清晰，生動講解，為學員們提供了關於個人成長和實現目標等有意義的見解和實用指導，深受學員們的喜愛。在近四小時的講座中學員們受益匪淺。
活動最後，本會出席領導同仁頒發感謝狀予主講人黃柏凱，集體合影留念，並於中午前圓滿結束。
圖片說明：
上圖：（左起）主講人黃柏凱。當天主題簡報；理事長黃書瑋。
下圖：講座結束後，頒贈感謝狀予主講人，並集體合影留念。（立者左起）張其安，黃美琳，黃柏凱，黃書瑋，留牡丹。