BRAND PILIPINAS made its debut last Thursday (June 21) as top Fiilipino brands from different industries as well as cause-oriented organizations gathered at the Green Sun Hotel Events Venue to launch a movement that hopes to propel a singular brand for all Filipinos.
The whole day event was divided into 7 tracks attended by representatives from over a hundred top local brands who signed up to be partners of the Brand Pilipinas campaign which basically aims to valorize local brands, locally made products and other homegrown artisans.
The gathering featured inspiring talks on various topcs:
- Why Local B2B Brands are Slaying It
- The Search for Origins – The Quest for Relevance in Food
- Emerging Social Enterprises
- Local is the New Premium
- Brand Pilipinas- The Arts
- Why the Philippines is Poised to be the Next Tech Hub
The opening plenary moderated by Amor Maclang and CJ Hirro is composed of Brand Pilipinas founding member Robin Padilla together with industry leaders Brad Geiser, Venus Navalta, George Royeca, David Lim, Freddie Arlantico, Danny Lim and Dylan Wilk.
“The challenge for most Filipino brands is how to conquer that long-standing perception among that products made in the Philippines are sub-par. It’s time we had a paradigm-shift because this kind of mentality not only hurts local businesses, but the economic reputation of the Philippines as a whole,” Brad Geiser, co-convenor of the Brand Pilipinas movement said.
Apart from local brands, the movement also saw the participation of individuals and private businesses from various industries.
David Lim, Founder of Brown & Proud Movement stressed that it is high time for Filipino brands to take center stage.
“Be brown and proud! Let’s show our love for local products by supporting local enterprises,” he said.
United Neon Advertising COO Freddie Arlantico also points out:
“We are a country that’s richly blessed with the best resources — our people. Put together the Filipinos’ creativity, skills, innovative ideas with the new technologies that are easily accessible by everyone and you have a formula for global excellence.”
Brand Pililpinas Movement Co-Convenor actor and Founder of Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation Robin Padilla said:
“Ngayon ang oras para ipakita natin sa buong mundo ang ating dangal bilang Pilipino. Matapang, magaling, malikhain, mapagmahal sa bayan. Yan ang tatak ng tunay na Pilipino na kinakatawan ng Brand Pilipinas.”
Brand Pilipinas hopes the movement will influence Filipinos to adopt a “Filipino-first” mentality by choosing homegrown brands over the more popular and highly-commercial international brands.
“We want Brand Pilipinas to be the brand we wear, the brand we eat, the brand we use, the brand of which we could all be proud of,” Group of Five Creative Concepts Founder and CEO George Royeca, saying the movement hopes to see this vision become a reality very soon.
Guests were also treated to local performances from Dulaang UP and Pilipinas Got Talent star Jade Riccio. The event also featured a fashion show by noted Filipino weave designer Joseph Aloysius Montelibano, a perfect tribute to our Filipino artists.
Here are the rest of the guest panel speakers from the different tracks:
- Dr. Tito Ortiz – Unionbank, Chairman
- Joseph Jerome Francia, GMA International, Head
- Mikko Barranda, Acceler8, Founder
- Eduardo Mapa Jr., Castle By The River, Founder
- Jam Melchor, Healthy Eats, Owner
- Philo Chua, Theo and Philo Chocolates, Founder
- Abba Napa, Manam The Moment Group, Founder
- Lara Barrios, Larawan Ink Management Consultancy, Founding Architect
- Clang Garcia, Jeepney Tours, Founder
- Michelle Lim Gankee, SL Agritech Corporation, Vice-President
- Rose Cabrera, GKONOMICS, Executive Director
- Czarina Ledesma, The Events Architect, Toddler House and Pasilio de Molina
- Ann Marie Poe, Ateneo Center for Social Enterprises, Board Member
- Maan Sicam, Happy Helpers, President
- Shannonraj Khadka, Enchanted Farm, President
- Norlie Quesada, Balangay’s Best, CFO
- Bambina Olivares, Fashion, Lifestyle and Luxury Goods Industries, Brand Specialist
- Stephen Ku, Eventscape and Chatbot, CEO
- Jay Bautista, Kantar, Managing Director
- Raymond Rufino, Berde, President
- Joseph Aloysius Montelibano, Filipino Weave Designer
- Tina Herrera, Philippine Fashion Week/7107 Music Festival, Executive Producer
- Mara Pardo Tavera, Organic Movement, Founder
- Bryan Benitez McLelland, Bamb Ecological Technology Inc., President and CEO
- Khavn de la Cruz, Filmmaker
- Naz Nekoudast, Vidanes Celebrity Marketing, General Manager and Creative Director
- Nina Corpuz, Nina Inabel, Designer
- Franco Varona, JCASH, CEO
- Miguel Cuneta, Satoshi Citadel, Co-Founder
- Angeline Tham, Angkas, Founder
- Jay Jay Viray, Grocercoin, Founder
The Brand Pilipinas Conference is organized and supported by the following partners: Brown & Proud Movement, GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications, Group of Five Creative Concepts, IPG Mediabrands, Liwanag ng Kapayaan Foundation, Robin Padilla, United Neon Advertising, and Vidanes Celebrity Management.