Asean BAC awards to honor homegrown firms

MANILA, Philippines - With the rigorous evaluation of more than 50 applicants completed, the winners of the very first ASEAN Business Awards Philippines are set to be announced during the awards’ Gala Night on Sept. 9.

Presented by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines (ASEAN BAC Philippines), the event will recognize enterprises in the country that have not only contributed to the country’s growth, but have also adopted a regional outlook and spurred innovative business practices.

Evaluating which companies meet the awards’ stringent criteria is no easy task, and the ASEAN BAC Philippines has tapped some of the country’s most accomplished business and academic leaders to judge this year’s entries. Together, they bring formidable expertise in innovation, management, and corporate governance, as well as unparalleled knowledge and experience about the ASEAN.

The ASEAN Business Awards Philippines’ esteemed panel of judges include: Delia Albert, former foreign affairs secretary and senior adviser for SyCip Gorres Velayo and Co; Dr. Federico Macaranas, former dean of the Asian Institute of Management’s Center for Development Management and executive director of the AIM Policy Center; Chito Sobrepeña, president of Manila Doctors Hospital and Metrobank Foundation; Cielito Habito, columnist and former Director General of NEDA; Robert Castillo, President and CEO of EEI Corporation; and Dr. Bernardo Villegas, senior vice president at the University of Asia and the Pacific and chairman of the Center for Research and Communication.

After careful deliberation, the panel of judges finally selected six companies as the winners for the Innovation, Corporate Excellence and ASEAN Centricity categories for Large Businesses, as well as Small and Medium Enterprises, Young Entrepreneur and Woman Leader categories for SMEs. Apart from receiving a one-of-a-kind trophy designed by renowned architect Lor Calma, the winning companies will also represent the Philippines in the regional ASEAN Business Awards to be held in Myanmar this November.