To enhance organizational leadership and performance, the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) convened its top officials for a three-day Pre-Management Development Program (Pre-MDP) titled “Effective Leadership, Coaching, and Mentoring” on May 18 to 20, 2025, in Batangas. The activity forms part of the agency’s 2025 Learning and Development Plan and underscores its commitment to advance transformational leadership across all management levels.

The program, spearheaded by the PCA Human Resource Division, aims to shift leadership approaches from traditional management to transformational, trust-based strategies.

In his address, PCA Administrator and CEO Dr. Dexter R. Buted challenged attendees to embrace a leadership style centered on empowerment, allyship, and legacy-building.

"Leadership at PCA must transcend position to purpose," ADRB declared. "Our success will no longer be measured by how many memos we send, but by how deeply we inspire action, how well we build trust, and how consistently we nurture growth."

He also urged participants to embrace three fundamental leadership shifts: from Authority to Allyship, from Compliance to Commitment, and from Legacy to Legacy-Building.

The Pre-MDP was designed to provide practical tools and strategies for senior leaders to lead with vision, compassion, and credibility. Through structured learning modules and interactive discussions, the program challenged traditional leadership models and encouraged participants to become mentors and enablers of transformation.

The initiative also serves as a preparatory phase for the full-scale Management Development Program (MDP) scheduled later in the year. It aims to ensure that PCA’s strategic goals are not only cascaded but deeply embedded through leadership behavior and organizational culture.

As the authority continues its push for agricultural innovation, this leadership overhaul signals a strategic commitment to people-centered governance. The program’s success will be measured in the coming months through improved team performance, policy implementation efficiency, and stakeholder feedback.