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Mike poses with his personnel during his 40th Birthday Celebration

M.I.K.E (Machica Inspires Kids’ Education) receives astounding support from friends during the 40^thbirthday celebration of Mr. Michael Machica, Chairman of Machica Group, held at Ritz Tower de Leyte, Tacloban City, on August 5, 2011.

On his birthday, instead of asking for gifts, Mr. Machica sought support for his advocacy program from his guests. The following business partners and friends have contributed for the project: Hon. Mimiette Bagulaya, Vice- Governor of Leyte; Atty. Ruben Tenedero; Atty. Neil Sia; Stephanie Smokehouse; WAD Traders; Yapson Trading; ACME Hardware; TS Cayanong Enterprises; Ktrust Commodities; 3B Marketing; Acme Hardware; Acua Glass; Bethany Hospital; Cocomart; Go Pao Trading; Tacloban Goldtrade; Kevin’s; Kokoy’s Grocerette; Marcab Trading; New Quality Hardware; PinkBlush Merchandising; Rural Bank of Dulag; RBC Distributors Inc; RiverValley Distribution Inc.; Rockwell and Security Bank.

Each has contributed an amount of money for M.I.K.E. which will be used to purchase school supplies for the economically-deprived primary school children in some selected areas in Leyte and Samar. Its primary objective is to inspire children, especially the primary pupils, to do well in school. The program has started its advocacy five years ago. It was formally launched as ‘M.I.K.E.’ in December 2009. Initially as part of the summer outing activities of Machica Group, it eventually evolved into the main social initiative platform of the Company and its Founder.

Even before the program was formalized, the Group had been supporting various children’s causes including DSWD’s Linghap Program particularly during Christmas season. In the summer of 2009, as part of their summer outing, the Group distributed school supplies to the primary graders of Brgy. Calia-an Quinapondan, Eastern Samar. In December of the same year, as part of M.I.K.E.’s launching, the Group invited and distributed school supplies to some orphans from S.O.S. Children’s Village. Thereafter, the children from the following communities were the chosen beneficiaries: Brgy. Talisayan, Albuera, Leyte (May 2010) and Brgy. Tinago, Quinapondan, Eastern Samar (May 2011). At the conclusion of every gift giving activity, children-beneficiaries were all smiles as they received their new school supplies.

Machica Group holds Machica Inspires Kids Education (M.I.K.E) Program.

Every year since 2009, the Machica Group together with barangay officials of sponsored barangay, holds Machica Inspires Kids Education (M.I.K.E) Back to School Program. M.I.K.E. is one of Machica Group’s corporate social responsibility initiatives. On its third year, the Group distributed school supplies to primary graders in Quinapondan, Eastern Samar on May 6, 2011. Being one of the least developed rural communities in Eastern Visayas, Quinapondan was chosen as the local beneficiary.  Pupils, parents, barangay officials, and local residents were all ecstatic as the members of the Group handed out papers, notebooks, pencil, eraser, and other school supplies.

This program is conducted in time of the Group’s annual summer outing after the tough and grueling audit/tax season. While enjoying some respite and relaxation, the Chairman views the Group’s summer outing as a concrete opportunity to touch the lives of the needy, especially the primary school children, and to inspire them to become the country’s new role models. “It makes our summer outing more meaningful and more rewarding”, shares Mr. Machica.

The overwhelming response from the residents of the sponsored barangay proved that that the program was a success.

The LEA is an international alliance of independently owned accounting and consulting firms. Established in 1999, The LEA has more than 165 member firms worldwide with collective revenues of 2.4 billion USD. There are approximately 100 countries represented in the association.

“By utilizing technology, developing innovative special interest groups, and connecting internationally to the knowledge of our member firms, The Leading Edge Alliance members are able to compete on a substantial scale, throughout the country and across the globe,” stated Michael Davis, Managing Partner HW Fisher & Company, London & LEA Chair. “LEA provides the resources that support their consistent growth and, subsequently, its own. The combined knowledge of the many top firms in LEA is shared across all firms, and contributes to the continuing success of each”.

“When the idea for LEA was conceived, the plan was to introduce an independent association that helped firms compete with the Big Four. The competitive landscape changed since our inception in 1999 as other large national and regional firms emerged. Yet the continued growth of the Alliance is a testament to the independent successes of member firms and their ability to understand and proactively deal with new challenges. The appeal of an accomplished association that consistently meets the needs of its membership is indisputable,” said Gary Shamis, Managing Partner SS&G Financial Services, Inc. & LEA Chair Emeritus. “Accounting has come out of the dark ages. The most successful firms operate as strategic businesses, and this view extends to its client base, centers of influence and the alliance it belongs to.  Over the past 12 years, LEA’s success has proven that the attention and support it provides to its members, including their overall operations special interest groups, has been a major factor in the success of its member firms.”

Machica Tan-Cruz & Co. is a full-service certified public accounting, internal auditing, business advisory, and management consulting firm.  Under the leadership of Mr. Michael A. Machica, the firm serves diverse clients in Metro Manila and in Eastern Visayas.  Its sister company, Machica FIRM (Financial, Insurance & Risk Managers), Inc. is a licensed insurance agency.  It is also engaged in business process outsourcing as well as business support services.   Both companies belong to the “Machica Group” which can be reached at http://machicagroup.com.

The Machica Group is the Philippine’s pioneer member of The Leading Edge Alliance (www.leadingedgealliance.com).

Our CEO Machica in Korea for the Global Entrepreneurship Training

CEO Michael A. Machica of MACHICA FIRM, INC. has successfully completed the 6-day Global Entrepreneurship Training 2011 at the Handong Global University, Pohang, South Korea from February 6 to 12, 2011.  Mr. Machica arrived at the Incheon International Airport and took a 5-hour land trip via limousine bus to the City of Pohang. It was Mr. Machica’s first visit to Korea.

There were over 70 delegates from around the world who participated in the said training.   All participants stayed at the University’s International Hall.

The GET 2011 is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Education Program under the sponsorship of UNESCO and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of the Korean Government.  It is offered in cooperation with partner universities of UNESCO UNITWIN.  The University Twining and Networking (or UNITWIN) is a college / university network on Capacity Building for Sustainable Development for Developing Countries.  Its noble purpose is to help develop entrepreneurial mindset among future leaders, entrepreneurs, professors, and government planners.   Both the UNESCO and the Korean Government believe entrepreneurship is the main engine and driving force for the developed countries.  The training is therefore a vehicle for the developing countries to catch up and be economically sufficient.

The training comprehensively covers the whole gamut of entrepreneurship – entrepreneurial mindset, creativity and innovation, social entrepreneurship, start-up business and effective business plan, finance and accounting, business law, marketing, raising capital, business ethics, international business, strategic planning, business communication, e-commerce, and intellectual property.  American and Korean distinguished professors and business leaders ably facilitated the intensive training.  Among them were:

The university president, Dr. Young Gil Kim, graced the opening ceremony.  He shared the successes of GET since it was first launched in Korea in 2008.  To bring the program closer to its target participants, GET was conducted in Kenya (2009), Mongolia (2009), Cambodia (2010), and East Africa (2010).  To-date, the program has produced almost 400 graduates.

In keeping with the university’s global mission – “why not change the world?”- Dr. Kim, in his personal talk with the trainees during the subsequent lectures, proudly announced the appointment of Handong Global University as the first and only UN Academic Impact Global Hub for Capacity – Building in Higher Education System in the world today.  He encouraged all trainees to take part of its activities in the future.

The class was divided into nine groups.  Each group is assigned to create a new company and to come-up with an actual business plan.  Inputs from each lecture were immediately integrated into the business plan writing.   After supper, each team would present the progress of business plan in front of the professors.  Revision and refinement of the business plan became the daily mid-night habit of each team.   The business viability had to be sold to the professors who were acting as potential investors.   Formal business plan competition concluded the training.   The team of Mr. Machica with a pseudo company named Cubik Cotton Co. Pvt. Ltd., an ecozone-registered garment company in India, won the third place.  Further, Mr. Machica, acting as the Chief Financial Officer, was chosen by his peers as the most valuable team member.

To motivate the trainees go global entrepreneurship, a field trip to POSCO – the world’s leading steelmaker based in Pohang City, was the main event of day four.  At POSCO, participants learned the winning business strategies that catapulted the company to world’s prominence.  From POSCO, the group proceeded to the Pohang City Hall for a courtesy visit with the city mayor and other government officials.  In a formal program, the trainees witnessed the futuristic landscape the city is envisioning depicted in a video presentation.  To seal the visit, the city government gave each participant a souvenir wrist watch.

The working team together with students-volunteers from the host university helped ensure a highly successful training.  Part of their work was to attend to the trainees’ needs and to document every facet of the activity.  Video-taped interviews were taken from participants who are already entrepreneurs.  Mr. Machica was one of those interviewed.

The international mix of delegates turned out to be a huge celebration of humanity and culture.  Except for Australia, all continents were represented.  During the cultural night, each participant wore distinctive national customs and showed unique talents.  The night was full – packed with glitters and surprises; everyone wishing the night’s clock would stop.  Picture taking from all corners seemed never-ending.

As a Christian university, the location of Handong Global University is perfect for studies or trainings.  No wonder the university boasts a significant number of foreign students.     During the training period, the participants observed Korea’s winter season where snow falls covered the whole campus.  For anyone coming from winter-free nation, it was simply awesome.

Impressed with the training and the progress of Korean economy, Mr. Machica is thinking of making concrete linkages with the Korean business community.  He is convinced he has to visit Korea again.

Finally, grateful with such a life-time opportunity, Mr. Machica signified to the coordinating body his intention to volunteer in GET’s future trainings probably as a lecturer.  This way, in his humble way, he can influence and pass-on the skills to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Our Managing Partner Machica completes Executive Education at the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School, U.K.

Managing Partner Michael A. Machica was privileged to be a part of the Program for Excellence in Professional Service Firm (PSF) Leader, an executive program of the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge which had transpired December 5 – 9, 2010 in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

The Judge Business School is a partner in a collaborative alliance between the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (The Cambridge MIT Alliance CMI).

Fifteen highly selected participants from Europe, Asia, Australia, South Africa, and America have completed the program. Mr. Machica was the lone participant from Southeast Asia.

The live-in program was conducted at The Møller Centre – a leading management and conference center in U.K. nestling inside the Churchill College campus of the pre-eminent University of Cambridge.  The outstanding setting makes the first European version of Professional Service Firm Leader executive program truly unique and inspiring.

The PSF program brings together leading business academics from the University of Cambridge with top consulting professionals with a wealth of experience in providing strategic, leadership, personal advice, and development skills throughout Europe. The result is a unique learning event which blends academic and practical  sessions to provide participants not only with an in-depth understanding of the concepts of professional service firm management and their role, but also with the skills to apply those concepts in their daily working lives.  Collectively, the professors represent major parts of the globe whose linkages stretch to the leading business schools across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.  Among the lecturers were Prof. Dr. Dame Sandra Dawson, Prof. Dr. Mark de Rond, Prof. Rob Less, Prof. David Yates, Prof. Des Woods, Prof. Brenton Hague, and Prof. Tim Bellis (also the Program Director). World-renowned Prof. Rob Less has researched and written on leadership and organizational change, and his book, When Professionals Have To Lead, co-authored with Professors Jack Gabarro and Tom DeLong from Harvard Business School, has just been published.  Prof. David Yates, a U.S. and U.K. practicing attorney, is the CEO of a global law firm.

The curriculum focuses on implementation – in turning the concepts and ideas into specific actions that improve individual, practice, and firm performance.  This unique approach is what sets the program apart. It recognizes that firms from different PSF sectors tend to face different issues in different ways at different times.  To program responds to this reality and also focuses on participants’ needs.

While the  program contents reflect the participants’ needs, it also cover the five main topics critical to the success of any professional service firm – strategy and differentiation, leadership, people management, client service, and business development.  These topics were sequentially delivered combining hands on case studies, lectures, group discussions, and workshops, as follows:

The participants learning process was not limited to the intensive 5-day live-in sessions at The Møller Centre.   The fact is all participants were required to study and answer all assigned case studies before the start of the program.  The case studies were carefully selected mirroring actual scenarios, issues, and challenges of professional service firms compiled and written by topnotch faculty of the Judge Business School, and the Harvard Business School.   The program director has made collaborative arrangement with the Harvard Business School which has the longest –running executive program on professional service firm leadership in the U.S.  In addition, the 360-degree survey on each participant’s leadership qualities was completed in advance.  This survey was undertaken by an independent HR consulting company in the U.K.

Managing partners, senior partners, practice leaders, directors, and senior managers – all coming from the professional services sector – makes a truly vibrant, highly-interactive, and powerhouse class.  Just like the Managing Partner, other participants are taking up the course to learn the leading edge ideas, strategies, and best practices and to transform them into measurable gains as they return to their leadership roles.

To further taste and experience the culture and tradition of Cambridge, the class had a dinner gala at the five-century-old St. John’s College.  Enthralled with the College’s rich history, everyone enjoyed the especially prepared meal as well.  It was also a great chance for the participants to get to know each other better.  The program director, an alumnus of the College himself, acted as the tour guide.

Completing the far-reaching program was an enormous year ender for the Managing Partner.   Such an important executive credential from no less than Cambridge is yet another milestone in his illustrious career.  As the Machica Group navigates to new opportunities and new markets, the Managing Partner’s fresh and additional skills acquired are surely an endearing weapon that will eventually translate huge success for the Group and its growing stakeholders.

Before heading home, Mr. Machica visited important tourist spots of the Kent region – widely touted as the garden of England.  He enjoyed touring the Leeds Castle which was magnificently surrounded with thick snow.  He had relaxing moments at the Maidstone’s beautiful countryside where he stayed with the Anderton family.    Experiencing the sights of the Canterbury Cathedral, the Rochester Castle, and the famous Roman structures around Kent for him was unrivaled. Likewise, for the first time he witnessed U.K.’s spirit of Christmas.

Our Chairman Machica Represents the Philippines in the 31st KANKEIREN ASEAN Management Seminar, Osaka, Japan

Representing the Philippine business sector, Chairman Michael A. Machica attended the 31^st KANKEIREN ASEAN Management Seminar in Osaka, Japan, held on October 25 – 29, 2010 under the sponsorship of the Kansai Economic Federation (KANKEIREN) and facilitated by the Pacific Resource Exchange Center (PREX).

Chairman Machica was chosen and endorsed by no less than the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry – the KANKEIREN’s partner agency in the country.

The Kansai Economic Federation was established in 1946 as a private, non-profit organization.  It has around 1,500 members drawn from businesses and organizations which pursue economic activity mainly in the Kansai area.  As one of Japan’s economic organizations, KANKEIREN has greatly contributed to the advancement of Japanese economy.  Currently, Kansai, which covers Fukui, Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, and Takashima prefectures, is Japan’s second largest economic region with GDP exceeding US$ 800 billion. Also, Japan’s history and culture significantly started from and continue to flourish in Kansai.

The seminar was centered on the theme “Sustainable Development of Asia and Corporate Management – Correspondence to Environmental Issues, Establishment of Cross – Border Partnership”. Aside from Chairman Machica, 14 other delegates from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and India took part of such a significant regional event. Delegates were billeted at the renowned Rihga Royal Hotel while the seminar took place at the headquarters of Kansai Economic Federation.

The seminar is vital to KANKEIREN’s human capacity building of business leaders from the ASEAN countries.  From year 1980 onwards, KANKAIREN has invited business executives and directors of ASEAN enterprises for a period of study in Kansai area. The seminar has been designed for participants who wish to obtain knowledge on Japan’s leading business practices particularly on sustainable development and corporate management.  It is also aimed at promoting business relations between ASEAN countries and Japan.  Together, the economy of Japan, India and the ASEAN, is well considered the world’s engine of growth.

Prior to the actual seminar, delegates were required to submit pre-seminar reports such as:  current organizational problems, management strategies taken to resolve the problems covering:  technological capability and productivity, marketing, human resource development, and correspondence to environmental issues.

For their part, the working team of KANKEIREN and PREX has, around the theme, pre-identified topics for discussion and deliberation during the seminar proper:

• Asia’s socio-economic changes and corporate management issues: worsening environmental problems, deepening of economic integration, development of globalization, and growing international competition.

• Corporate management strategy:  improvement of technological capacity and productivity, differentiation strategy through industry-academia-government cooperation, initiatives to solve environmental problems, and globalization.

• Strengthening of cross-border partnerships: ways taken by each participating companies (ASEAN, India, and Japan), and common issues and future directions.

According to Chairman Machica, the learning opportunity the seminar offered was simply exceptional – in terms of content and practical insights.  Visits to Japanese leading companies were given much emphasis as shown below:

Chairman Machica had been participating in a number of international executive trainings in the past.  He believes the major key to competitiveness and the differentiator in the professional services sector is not just continued learning, but learning from the world’s best.  He is grateful for being chosen as the Philippine representative to the KANKEIREN ASEAN Management Seminar which he indeed learnt from the best!  At the same time, he had great opportunity networking with Japanese and ASEAN executives.

After the hectic yet progressive seminar, Chairman Machica took time to shop and to visit major destinations of Osaka.  He discovered much of Japanese history at the Osaka Castle; got dejected seeing the clippings and videos of war victims at the Peace Museum;   and enjoyed a great deal of entertainment and fun at the Universal Studios Japan.

Chairman and CEO / Managing Partner, Michael A. Machica attends the Program for Quality Management under the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) at AOTS Tokyo Kenshu Center (TKC), Tokyo, Japan, from the 12th to 25th of May, 2010.

The Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) is a non – profit association run with Japanese government subsidies from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The Program for Quality Management (PQM) is designed as one of AOTS’s flagship courses for all the developing countries to learn business management/administration techniques and their underlying ways of thinking which are characteristic of Japanese companies.

Mr. Machica was the lone Filipino among the 26 participants coming from Asia, Africa, Southern Europe, and South America who were rigidly chosen by the AOTS.

The program’s objectives includes enabling participants to promote Total Quality Management (TQM), which is aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction through improvement of the quality of products and services by mastering the concept, methodology, and promotion methods of QTM.

The curriculum was designed to effectively enhance participant’s capabilities to promote TQM so that by the end of the program, participants were able to understand the conceptual framework to TQM and the basic theory of quality and management; comprehend the concepts and implementation methods of the major TQM elements, including policy management, daily management, QC circles, quality assurance, quality improvement, and the key success factors of companies effectively applying TQM and gain new insights into the roles and responsibilities of managers and business executives in promoting TQM.

Main topics were subsequently discussed by program directors, Dr. Noriaki Kano and Mr. Yukihiro Ando with some help from Mr. Yoshihisa Matsuda, President of Matsuda Consulting Engineer Office, and Dr. Watalu Yamamoto, Assistant Professor, University of Electro-Communications. Furthermore, visits to Japan’s top companies were integral to the program.

Dr. Kano is one of the world’s most prominent figures in the field of TQM and he is worldly renowned as the founder of “Kano Model.” He is currently the Professor Emeritus of Tokyo University of Science, Honorary Chairperson of Asian Network for Quality (ANQ), Committee Member of Deming Application Prize, Academician of International Quality Academy, and Board Member of Komatsu Co., Ltd., Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) and Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) while Mr. Ando is a TQM consultant, Lead Examiner of Deming Prize Committee, Board Member of Asian Network for Quality (ANQ), Honorary Advisor, Saitama Region QC Circle, and a Member of the Committee on the Domestic Response to ISO/TC176. As a TQM consultant, Mr. Ando has had great success in numerous companies within Japan and overseas, spanning a wide range of industries, from manufacturing industry to the service industry.

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The Machica Group in coordination with the Barangay Officials of Barangay Talisayan, Albuera, Leyte conducted a “Back to School Program” on May 6, 2010.

Now on its second year, the Back-to-School Program is the first program of M.I.K.E. (Machica Inspires Kids Education).  M.I.K.E. is one of Machica Group’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Spearheaded by no less than the Chairman, Michael “Mike” Machica, the group sponsored and distributed school supplies to the needy primary graders of Barangay Talisay.    Approximately 75 pupils were the beneficiaries of the said program.  Each received basic supplies like notebook, paper, pencil, eraser, etc.

The Back-to-School program is conducted in time of the Machica Group’s annual summer outing.  “This is a great opportunity to share something for those pupils and parents who are in need; we hope to inspire kids to become the next generation’s role models”, shares Mr. Machica.  All ecstatic, the parents, the pupils and the barangay officials showed their appreciation for the little gifts received.

Indeed, the overwhelming response from the residents of Barangay Talisyan proved that the program was a success.

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The Machica Group officers and staff went to the pristine Baybayon ni Agalon in Albuera, Leyte on May 6 – 7, 2010 for the group’s annual summer outing escapade.

All employees traveled for two-and-a-half hours from Tacloban City to Albuera, Leyte in a coaster. The travel may be long but the employees did not mind at all because they were all enjoying the ride. With excited faces, everyone was eager to enjoy the much sought vacation following the hectic audit season.

The group arrived in time for lunch. With sumptuous catering readily waiting, they ate together at the tree house. After eating they were showed to the grand function room of the resort which served as their sleeping quarter.

Thereafter, each member eagerly went to go around the native-inspired resort for some picture taking then they went to visit a nearby school to give away school supplies for the primary graders. Late in the afternoon, each personnel together with selected guests enjoyed parlor games and swimming.

That day was not only about charity and enjoyment. After the dinner; Mr. Machica announced that they are going to have a short program. The new employees were asked to share something about them and some were asked to sing. But the evening’s main event was the surprise awarding of plaques to the most outstanding employees during past audit season. Aptly dubbed as “Chairman’s Award” in diamond, gold, silver, and bronze categories, eight personnel were honored. Mr. Machica concluded the activity with a very touching speech.

The following day, the group had the pleasure touring the resort; others indulged in swimming, and extra bonding. After lunch, while seemingly hesitant, the group had to go back home bringing concrete memories of yet another successful summer outing.

Please click here to see photo gallery.