Cebu Pacific Partners with DLSU to Train Next Generation of Filipino Aviation Engineers

Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ leading carrier, has partnered with De La Salle University (DLSU) - Manila to mentor future aviation engineers through its Design Engineering Program.

The five-year collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), will give select DLSU engineering students the opportunity to work closely with CEB’s technical experts in designing and developing projects for real airline operations. These will include smart systems for aircraft maintenance and sustainable mobility solutions for the carrier’s facilities. The outputs of these projects will also serve as their thesis or capstone requirements.

“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 chosen for the program’s pilot run this year. This marks CEB’s first formal partnership with a university to embed practical airline industry experience into higher education. The airline said it plans to expand the program to more schools in the coming years as part of its long-term investment in Philippine aviation.

The initiative also reflects CEB’s broader push to develop homegrown talent. In May 2025, the airline launched its OFW Balikbayan Program, which encourages engineers working overseas to return and share their expertise with the local sector.