Photo courtesy of Agoda Youth Awards Facebook page.
The 32nd Agora Youth Awards honored the Philippines’ top marketing students on July 31, 2024, at The Westin Manila in Pasig City. Organized by the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) with the Philippine Junior Marketing Association (PJMA), the event celebrated academic and extracurricular excellence in marketing.
Mark Cruz from San Beda University was named valedictorian and Best Marketing Student of the Year. Other top ten students included Prince Olie Cacho (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila), Mike Ivan Siga (Mindanao State University), Kristalyn Agustin (Central Luzon State University), Franco Gabriele Delatina (Our Lady of Fatima University), Kaye Liwag (Batangas State University), Raymart Mariano Jr. and Maica Stephamae Orenda (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), Rayan Camid (Xavier University), and Xyrill Baltazar (National University Fairview).
In the Junior Marketing Associations (JMA) category, Xavier University’s team won first place, followed by San Beda University and Silliman University.
PMA President Kathy Mercado highlighted the event’s importance. “As we celebrate our 70th anniversary with the theme ‘SustAInability Marketing,’ we also recognize the creativity, dedication, and achievement of our young marketing triumphant leaders,” she said. “Our awardees have not only excelled in their fields but have also embraced the values of innovation and sustainability, setting new standards of excellence.”
Leah Marie Ayeng, PMA Director of Youth and Academe, emphasized the organization’s mission to foster future marketing professionals. “The Agora Youth Awards looks at community impact beyond competence as it is the key to developing ‘changemakers’,” she said. “PMA is carrying out the mission to be an enabler of learning and development in the marketing realm.”
This year’s competition challenged students to incorporate sustainability and AI into their marketing plans. Individual contestants localized strategies for international products, while school-based teams created marketing plans to help SMEs scale globally.
Industry experts judged the competition. Judges for the individual category included Archie Carrasco (AGC Power Holdings, Inc.), Faye Arellano-Martinez (AQAdvertising Inc.), Joselito Ortega (Havas Ortega), Albet Buddahim (Primer Group of Companies), Patricia Poco-Palacios (Global Dominion Financing, Inc.), and Jill Christine Pena (AC Mobility). Judges for the JMA category were Therese Castrojas-Galang (Airspeed), Bryan Lato (360Next Creative Solutions), Jenny Wieneke (Tokyo Tempura), Jorge Noel Wieneke (Potato Corner), Paul Anthony De Guzman (GoNegosyo), and Ana Joy Rocero (UNICON DMS).
The event featured speeches from Rosemarie Rafael (AIC Group of Companies) and Archie Carrasco, who inspired attendees with his journey from past awardee to industry leader.
The 32nd Agora Youth Awards were co-presented by AGC Power Holdings Corp. with support from various sponsors and partners, including The Westin Manila, Blogapalooza, Airspeed, AQAdvertising, Inc., Tolak Angin, Prestige Quality Paper Products Corp., Primer Group of Companies, and Hydro Flask.
