Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading carrier, has formalized a five-year partnership with De La Salle University (DLSU) – Manila to mentor and develop the next generation of aviation engineering talent through its Design Engineering Program.
The collaboration, established via a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), will provide select DLSU engineering students with a unique opportunity to work alongside CEB’s technical experts. Students will contribute to designing and developing innovative projects for real airline operations, including smart systems for aircraft maintenance and sustainable mobility solutions for the airline’s facilities. The project outputs will also serve as their required thesis or capstone projects.
“This partnership invests in more than projects—it invests in people. By guiding young engineers to innovate with purpose, we are building the future of Philippine aviation together,” said Shevantha Weerasekera, CEB Vice President for Engineering and Fleet Management.
Twenty-five DLSU engineering students have been selected for the program’s inaugural run this year. This initiative marks Cebu Pacific’s first formal partnership with a university to embed practical airline industry experience directly into higher education. The airline plans to expand the program to include more schools in the coming years as part of its long-term commitment to nurturing local aviation talent.
The program aligns with CEB’s broader strategy to develop homegrown expertise, which also includes the launch of its OFW Balikbayan Program in May 2025, an initiative that encourages engineers working overseas to return and share their knowledge with the local aviation sector.
Cebu Pacific is the largest airline in the Philippines, operating a wide network of domestic and international flights. The airline is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable air travel, and to contributing to the development of the Philippine aviation industry.
