20/05/2025
𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 | 𝙎𝙚𝙚 ‘𝙀𝙢 𝙏𝙊𝙊 𝙈𝙪𝙘𝙝? 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.
A business with a purpose refuses to stay quiet.
Some school projects end in a grade. Others leave a mark.
Last May 16, the 4th-year BS in Management students of MGT 192 (Management of Small Business), organized their culminating activity but it wasn't just about launching a business—it was about launching a message. See ‘Em Two: A Celebration of Entrepreneurship and Social Impact brought together eleven student-run enterprises in a one-day bazaar at the UPV Cyberpark, but beyond the buzz of sales and branded booths, something more meaningful pulsed beneath the surface.
This year, every peso earned and product sold carried a deeper purpose: to support the Ati Community in Brgy. Matag-ub, Janiuay, Iloilo. In partnership with the Panay Indigenous Culture Advocacy Group (PICAG), the students dedicated the event’s proceeds to assist one of the island’s most marginalized Indigenous groups. In a course rooted in business, this was a choice rooted in empathy.
Each booth told its own story—some sold handcrafted goods, others championed sustainability, convenience, or cultural flair. But together, they reflected the creativity and commitment of a generation of future managers who are beginning to understand that success doesn’t mean much unless it lifts others, too.
The bazaar was a flurry of activity: customers hopping from stall to stall, students marketing with charm and strategy, and curious passersby discovering the energy of youth-led entrepreneurship. But what stood out wasn’t just the polished packaging or social media savvy—it was the cause that tied them all together. These weren’t just businesses; they were small engines of social change.
But See ‘Em Two didn’t stop at the marketplace. It knew that to move people, you don’t just need a product—you need a platform. And so, later that afternoon, the event transformed into something else entirely.
As the walls of the UPV Auditorium did more than echo music– they pulsed with passion, stories, and the voices of the often unheard. The College of Management’s long-awaited concert, See ‘ Em TOO, unfolded not just as a showcase of talent but as a resounding declaration: art, when used with intention, can become a vessel for change.
From 4:00 to 6:00 PM, students, faculty, and guests gathered not merely to be entertained, but to be moved. The concert was a collective effort between CM and UPHSI students, as they used the stage as a space to shine and a platform to speak up. Every note sung, every step danced, and every line delivered bore the weight of advocacy—each performance a story in itself, echoing the lived experiences and aspirations of marginalized communities.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came from the CM all-women group, who stunned the audience with their performance of Pantropiko by BINI. In a dazzling celebration of femininity and strength, they reminded us that environmental issues, too, are gendered—that girl power includes speaking for the planet. Their fusion of choreography, expression, and purpose was more than a spectacle; it was a statement.
UPHSI’s Hugyaw Dance Club, donning retro flair, was among the first to grace the stage. With bold colors and spirited steps, their performance served as a blast from the past that still marched firmly into the future. It was the kind of opening that didn’t just warm up the crowd—it set the tone for a night of purpose-driven artistry.
The CM Bluechips kept the momentum ablaze with a series of impactful dance numbers that ranged from fierce and stylish to intimate and reflective, performing Power by Fifth Harmony, they took the auditorium by storm—clad in black blazers, dripping with confidence, and radiating rebellion. But their message extended far beyond the surface. Another Bluechips group delivered deeply personal pieces tackling LGBTQIA+ pride and mental health—proof that dance, too, can carry the cries of a community and become a form of healing.
Not to be outdone, CM students lent their voices in a powerful medley of Eraserheads songs like Alapaap and Pare Ko. Their harmonies spoke of longing and unity amidst the ongoing logistical challenges of the CM transfer—an experience that has left many students physically separated but emotionally bound. For a moment, the auditorium became a refuge—a space where division was replaced by connection, and confusion was soothed by song.
And just when the night seemed like it couldn’t cut any deeper, then came the performance that left the auditorium holding its breath—Group 2: Memoirs of a Certain March 17th. A skit that peeled back the scars on the pandemic’s enduring impact, it served as a tribute and a reckoning. Through gripping dialogue and raw emotion, the piece honored teachers, students, frontliners, and LGBTQIA+ individuals navigating a world that’s often unkind. It wasn’t just a story. It was a mirror, a reminder, and a call to never forget.
As the lights dimmed and the final applause faded, students stood united, voices loud, echoing the calls for justice that had been threaded throughout the concert. It was a fitting end: spontaneous, raw, and unapologetic. A declaration that art is not passive. That we, too, are not passive– a call to remain awake, engaged, and unapologetically loud.
The night was a heartfelt convergence of art and action and beyond the applause and lights, the concert also carried an advocacy: to support the Panay Indigenous Culture Advocacy Group (PICAG). Every ticket purchased, every cheer echoed, and every step on that stage contributed to a larger cause—one that lives outside the auditorium, in the hearts of the people we fight for.
It reminded us that art does not exist in a vacuum. It moves, breathes, and bleeds into the struggles we face. It dares us to feel, to remember, and most importantly, to act. And in a world where silence is often easier, this concert chose to be loud right up until the final chant.
See EM TOO showed us what happens when students are given more than a syllabus and they’re given space to think critically, act ethically, and dream audaciously. Space to learn that business can, and should be a force for good.
In the end, it wasn’t just about profit. It was about people, in partnership with the Panay Indigenous Culture Advocacy Group, they were able to help the Ati Community in Brgy. Matag-ub, Janiuay, Iloilo, as the beneficiary of the event. These students utilized their education not just as a ladder, but as a bridge.
And if this is what management looks like in their hands, then the future is in good ones.
May it not be the last.
Words by Grace Abigail Chua
Photos by Nathan Beluso
