The Administrative and Office Management (FREAOM) faculty, together with the 2nd-year Management students, hosted a seminar titled “Modern Work in a Modern World: Unlocking Opportunities in the Virtual Office” on February 5, 2026, at the St. Joseph Hall (SJH) Building Academic Hall.

Dr. Carmelita Lao, dean of the School of Business and Accountancy (SBA), officially opened the event. Her speech centered on the events’ purpose of equipping students with the skills and mindset needed to thrive as future leaders and managers. 

The seminar featured two industry experts. The first speaker, Mrs. Leah Gundaran Raymundo, USRN, MAN, CPC, shared her experience as a Virtual Assistant (VA) working with clients worldwide.

She noted that VAs contribute significantly to the economy through foreign currency earnings, but stressed that the profession demands proactiveness and strong client understanding.

“In the virtual world, especially for beginners, it is important to accept that some clients will say yes and others will say no,” Mrs. Raymundo asserted. 

Meanwhile, Ms. Sofia Loraine Tee, co-founder of Build Launch and the seminar’s second speaker, encouraged students to embrace opportunities in the virtual workspace.

“You are ready more than you think,” Ms. Tee said, sharing her journey from taking various online jobs to building a platform that connects talented Filipinos to global clients. She added that success does not require being the smartest, but having the willingness to try. 

Furthermore, when asked about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in virtual assistance during a Question & Answer portion, Mrs. Raymundo believed AI can boost productivity, but cannot replace the human touch. “Iba pa rin ang care ng person to person. However, it will make our work easier and supplement the job to become better,” she explained. 

In attendance as well were Dr. Lutgarda Punay, Dr. Alma Yutuc, Dr. Aina Loren Trinidad, and Prof. Julie Anne May Cruz.

The event concluded with a reminder from the speakers to “Know your niche” and uphold values that honor Filipino integrity.