Launched in 1998, the AYLC was first thought of as a succession plan for the Ayala conglomerate. The idea soon grew from being just a way to hire the best graduates, into an opportunity to contribute to national development.

"Ayala Corp. recognized the opportunity to develop leaders. A group of human resource leaders got together and developed the program. That was how it started. It’s Ayala’s own commitment to developing young leaders," explains congress director Simon C. Mossesgeld.

The stringent procedures that potential participants have to go through ensure that only the best are picked. AYLC requires that applicants be in the top 10 percent of their college, have excellent communication skills, and be an active leader or officer of any student organization. Applicants will also be subjected to a rigorous paper screening conducted by Ayala executives before finally facing a panel interview.

The Congress is considered a life-changing experience by most of its alumni, either because of its speakers or fellow student leaders. For this year’s Congress, the list of speakers is no less impressive.

Also among the speakers this year on the theme ‘’Leadership in Challenging Times’’ are University of the Philippines professors Solita "Winnie" Monsod, Randy David, and Dr. Ma. Corazon A. De Ungria, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra musical director and principal director Eugene Frederick Castillo.

One aspect that this year’s Congress wishes to address is the issue of migration and working abroad. On the Congress’ second day, Ayala, Castillo, and De Ungria will be part of a forum titled "Serving the Country: For Here or To Go?" The forum hopes to show that even in these challenging times, leaving the country isn’t always the only option available.

"It would be interesting for the students to know what brought Jaime Ayala and Eugune Castillo back from abroad to work here," says youth network development manager and AYLC alumna Marie Sol Delantar. "Dr. De Ungria could have easily worked abroad but decided to stay here."

Another new aspect this year is the forum on media to be held on Feb. 9. Featuring prominent media personalitioes such as Maria Lourdes Mangahas, vice president for research and content development of GMA-7 and Luchie Cruz Valdez, ABS-CBN’s head for current affairs.

The media panel will present the practitioners’ perspective on the challenges they face in covering the many calamities that the country faces, and how they maintain their credibility in the face of rampant bribery.

One thing notable is that AYLC’s work doesn’t stop at the end of the congress. The Ayala Foundation continues to monitor and mentor the alumni.

"What happens after is where the work really is," says Delantar. "After the congress, we continue to engage them in fora and seminars that will nourish them with leadership ideas. We also give them listings of projects that respond to issues in their locality. We try as much as possible to keep them communicating with each other. There is an alumni support fund for community projects that they decide to propose to us after the congress."

Starting last year, participants are also given development project toolkits.

"Before, we asked them to prepare a plan that they could implement back in their communities," says Delantar. "Now we’ve prepared a kit for them which includes tips on how to plan, how to raise resources, which guys to approach when they return to their communities. They leave here equipped and knowing what to do in their own communities."

And then there is the formidable Ayala Young Leaders Alliance (AYLA), with 17 chapters all over the country from Baguio to Davao. Most of these groups are the first to respond to relief operations such as the ones during the disaster brought by typhoon Reming, where they managed to raise more than a million pesos.

The AYLC alumni also supported a film caravan on Bunso, the documentary by Ditsi Carolino, as well as being mainstays in Gawad Kalinga builds all over the country. The AYLA has even come out with the first youth empowernment magazine called Starfish.

If an alumni decides to join the Ayala Group, like Delantar, the company gives them career development programs and mentoring. The congress, however, isn’t part of an elaborate hiring process.

"The Congress shapes tomorrows leaders, they are not required to apply to the Ayala Group," says Mossesgeld with a laugh. "They are taught to concentrate on something larger than themselves and even larger than the community where they belong. The hope is they move on to larger things."