De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) emerged as the champion in the 2026 Lasallian Societal Impact Case Competition (LSICC), an event held virtually on April 10 that assembled student teams from Lasallian universities and colleges across the globe—securing a historic triumph for an Asia-Pacific La Salle School.
This year marked the second time Asia-Pacific La Salle Schools were qualified to participate in the competition and scored its first-ever win as DLS-CSB took home the crown.
The fifth annual competition, organized by La Salle Business School Alliance (LSBSA) of the International Association of Lasallian Universities (IALU), challenged students to design ethical solutions, creative methods, and viable strategies for today’s societal issues.
The competition consisted of student teams of four to six members, each tasked with analyzing a case and creating a presentation based on the materials provided. This year’s theme focused on the ethical risks of using AI in hiring.
During the first round, the teams were required to submit their presentation slides a week prior to the live competition and the following days were allotted for judges to score the slide decks.
Among the 25 teams across the alliance, only nine top teams advanced to round two, the live competition. Finalists include international schools such as La Salle Barcelona Campus Universitat Ramon Llull, Manhattan University La Salle University (Philadelphia), Universidad La Salle Noroeste, and Universidad La Salle Bajio (León).
Meanwhile, four out of the nine finalist spots include representatives from De La Salle Philippines (DLSP) schools, namely De La Salle University Manila (DLSU), De La Salle University Dasmariñas (DLSU-D), University of St. La Salle–Bacolod (USLS), and DLS-CSB, who emerged victorious.
The student team’s case study that earned them the award was titled “Beyond the Algorithm: A Lasallian Call for Justice, Inclusion, and Accountability in AI Hiring.”
The winning team was composed of Mikaela Amira Barrosa and John Mathew A. Bautista, who both hail from ID123 BSBA-Human Resource Management, Elyssa Mari T. Dela Cruz and Elvin Jr. I. Tan both from BSBA-Business Intelligence and Analytics batch ID124, ID122 Aleea Sharlene J. Fedillaga representing BSBA-Export and Global Business Management and Natalia C. Olfindo ID125 of BS-Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Their coaches were Dr. Anecito Jubac Jr. and Mr. Marcus Aurelius Palitec.
Formula for success
In an interview with The Benildean, Fedillaga and Olfindo shared how their victory brought them immense pride, not only from attaining success for their team but from securing a breakthrough for the region. Both described it as a win for the entire Lasallian community.
When asked about their preparation for the global competition, their mentor Mr. Palitec, noted that the team adopted a structured and mentor-guided approach. Their strategic planning included a set of meetings designed to measure comprehension, address questions, and offered guidance on developing presentations.
In addition, the team showcased strong collaboration and innovative thinking which led to their championship win. “We refined our framework and constantly challenged each other’s ideas to create multifaceted recommendations that were anchored on Lasallian values,” Fedillaga explained.
Olfindo mentioned that one of their favorite memories was a speed round “on-the-spot questioning” where each member took turns answering difficult questions about the case study, a practice that honed their critical thinking skills.
Furthermore, their coach, Dr. Jubac, added that the team had undergone a series of mock defenses, where various Program Chairs, Dean and Associate Dean from the School of Management and Information Technology (SMIT) Department critiqued and evaluated the team’s performance.
Exceeding one’s limits
Through the team’s consistent efforts in researching and refining, they reached success—but it was not a smooth sail from the beginning. The champions had their clash with busy schedules, multitasking the competition alongside thesis work, jobs, and finals season. It was a test of their time management and their ability to handle pressure.
Previously, the students who had participated in the annual competition did not advance to the next round—which turned out to be a key motivation for Dr. Jubac to guide the team’s development and help them realize their capability to compete and excel on an international stage.
As the team prevailed, Olfindo credited their mentors for their achievement. “It’s safe to say we wouldn’t have won without them.” On the other hand, Mr. Palitec highlighted the importance of a collective effort, mutual trust, and joint commitment towards a common goal between the team.
“What once felt like a limitation became our starting point—through preparation, perseverance, and purpose, we turned experience into excellence, moving from striving to belong to proving we deserve to win,” Dr. Jubac affirmed.
Benilde demonstrated excellence in the international arena as it rose to the top among Lasallian schools in the country and served as a dedicated representative for the DLSP Network on the global stage.
