By Deorafe Basong
Silliman University’s (SU) Team Visionaries stood out at the 2025 HSBC Philippine Business Case National Competition after earning bronze in the group category last April 5 at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU).
The winning team is composed of business analytics students Michael John Mirasol and Elle Mikaele Macias, financial management student Chaiane Claire Lim, and business economics student May Ann Valencia from the SU College of Business Administration.
Joining SU on the winners’ podium were the ADMU team, who won gold since last year, and the University of Asia and the Pacific who clinched silver.
Across two rounds, 16 participating teams across the country were challenged with solving real-world business problems under time limits.
Team Visionaries emerged as the top group in their cluster during the first round, advancing to the finals, where they were given a new case to analyze in three hours.
Their final output included a 20-minute presentation and another 20 minutes for the oral defense before a panel of senior executives.
Meanwhile, Mirasol was recognized as “Best Presenter” during the finals.
“It deepened my understanding of how real-world business challenges are rarely straightforward. Identifying the core problem from a complex set of information requires both critical thinking and strategic focus,” he shared.
Valencia also emphasized the collaborative spirit behind their team’s success.
“Competing in the HSBC competition taught me the true value of teamwork. Our success was made possible by everyone’s sincere efforts and eager spirits,” she said.
The team was coached by Asst. Prof. Rene Juntreal, chair of the BSBA Financial Management Program.
Moreover, Ceejay Hernandez, head of sustainability for the Philippines at HSBC, said that the competition “elevates the traditional case method by moving it beyond the classroom into a global arena.”
According to Hernandez, it aims to “sharpen participants’ business global outlook, nurture future business leaders, broaden career opportunities and boost employability, and bridge academia and the global business community,” among others.
SU CBA Dean Dr. Wilma Tejeros-Libarios also commended the team for their accomplishments and acknowledged the faculty’s role in guiding and supporting their students.
The HSBC Philippine Business Case Competition serves as the national qualifier for the HSBC Asia Pacific Business Case Competition, an international undergraduate competition hosted annually in Hong Kong by the Asia Case Research Centre.
(via Office of Media and Public Affairs)
