PSTD at 60: Strengthening talent development in the Philippines and beyond

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Society for Talent Development (PSTD) opened its 60th year and the road to its 50th National Convention with a press conference held recently in Quezon City. Hosted and sponsored by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), the gathering underscored how Philippine learning leaders are preparing organizations and workforces for a skills-driven future.

Since 1965, PSTD has helped professionalize workplace learning across sectors—corporate, government, education, NGO—through certifications, research, practice-sharing and a vibrant learning community. That national footprint continues to grow. PSTD president Rinah Rivero (senior manager, PwC) shared that regional chapters are expanding and that new collaborations—local and international—are in motion to make capability-building more accessible nationwide.

Representing the PSTD chairman of the board, Louie Banta (CEO, LJMB Consulting; PSTD Board of Trustees) traced key milestones across the association’s six decades and highlighted who finds a home in PSTD: HR and L&D leaders, trainers, educators, consultants and organizations committed to building people capability.

On the global front, Rowell Vitor Mariano—IACET commissioner and Global Liaison, and founder and CEO of Rowell Signatures—affirmed that PSTD is emerging as a strategic partner for IACET in the Asia-Pacific region. “PSTD is a strategic partner in fulfilling our vision of a world that learns better,” he said.

IACET president and CEO Randy Bowman on his video message reinforced that alignment:

“We are honored to celebrate this incredible milestone with PSTD. For six decades, PSTD has stood as a beacon for talent development in the Philippines—championing quality, relevance and professional growth.”

All roads now lead to the 50th PSTD National Convention, set for August 27–29 in Cebu City, themed “ABLAZE: Illuminating Talent Development Pathways.”

The three-day program will feature future-focused keynotes; hands-on learning labs; leadership, technology and workforce-readiness sessions; and spaces for benchmarking, networking and collaborative problem-solving across industries. A Grand Anniversary Dinner will honor PSTD’s legacy while spotlighting next-decade priorities.

As PSTD turns 60, its message is forward-looking: build capability with intention, connect practice to standards and elevate learning as a strategic lever for national progress—at home in the Philippines and in partnership with global quality leaders like IACET.

Editor's Note: This press release for Philippine Society for Talent Development is not covered by Philstar.com's editorial guidelines.