Novartis gets an Agora for advocacy marketing

MANILA, Philippines – Now on its 31st year, the Agora Awards are given annually by the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) to outstanding individuals and companies who embody marketing excellence, versatility, innovation, and ingenuity.

There are seven Agora Award categories: Marketing Company of the Year; Agora Award for Overseas Marketing Excellence; Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship, Marketing Management, Export Marketing, Marketing Education, and Advocacy Marketing.

Agora Award nominees pass through a stringent judging process overseen by a panel composed of top-level executives from leading Filipino corporations and institutions.

The 2010 Agora Awards board of judges was composed of Vicente Dinglasan, president of IDS Logistics; Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Air Inc.; Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, president of the Philippine Daily Inquirer; Ray Gapuz, chairman of RA Gapuz Review Center; and Perpetuo de Claro, former general manager of Wyeth and 2007 Agora Awardee for Marketing Management.

The criteria for judging were strict that winners were selected in only five of the seven categories this year: RFM Corp. for Export Marketing; Justin Uy of Profoods International Corp. for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship-Large Scale; Richard Suanz of Philippine Food Asia Corp. for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship-Medium Scale; Margot Torres of McDonald’s Philippines for Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Management; and Novartis Healthcare Philippines for Outstanding Achievement in Advocacy Marketing.

“This award will inspire us to work even harder in implementing our key advocacies in partnership with the government and private sector stakeholders. Through our access and R&D initiatives, we are committed to helping improve the quality of life of Filipinos,” said Novartis Healthcare Philippines CPO head and country president Eric van Oppens, during the 2010 Agora Awards Night last Nov. 23 at the Hotel InterContinental in Makati City.

“Receiving recognition from the beacon of Filipino marketing excellence is a great honor that affirms our company’s commitment and passion to care for and cure Filipinos through our innovative access and public health initiatives. We are thankful for the award and will show our gratitude by continuing to help improve the quality of health care in the country,” said Christine Liwanag, corporate affairs and market access director of Novartis Healthcare Philippines.

Through its umbrella access program Kaagapay, Novartis Healthcare Philippines implements three key advocacies that provide better treatment options to more Filipino patients through innovative access-to-medicine programs; promote a healthy lifestyle among Filipinos; and develop local scientists and enhance the country’s potential to be a research and development hub in the Asia-Pacific region.