Despite the country's firm religious roots, Christmas is also a commercial holiday in the Philippines with shopping playing a major role in how people celebrate. But as economic crises have shifted audience priorities, people are reevaluating what they want to give and receive during the holidays.
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Willy Arcilla has built billion-dollar brands from over 20 years of experience and expertise in marketing, branding, advertising, sales and distribution, business strategy, and corporate planning roles for leading MNCs and Philippine conglomerates. Currently, he serves as a business coach at Asia Branding Consultancy, where he offers high-level consultancy and conducts public and in-house seminars and workshops to help Filipino companies grow in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Willy also teaches courses in strategic and marketing management at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and produces YouTube videos on the local marketing landscape under his channel, The Brand Doctor.
Ed Timbungco has over 27 years of experience in corporate communications and public relations work for both public and private firms, working on both client and agency sides. He has been an accredited public relations professional by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines since 2008. Ed is also a part-time lecturer of public relations and organizational and marketing communications in both state universities and private Catholic colleges. Recently, the Philippine Marketing Association has certified him as a professional marketing educator.
Rey Lugtu is a veteran business executive and entrepreneur with several years of professional experience in the information and communication technology industry. As the founder and CEO of Hungry Workhorse, a digital culture and customer experience transformation consulting firm, he bridges the gap between digital technology and people and organisational behavior. His background in business, technology, pedagogy, cultural anthropology, community psychology, and sociology makes his analysis and synthesis of technological, organisational, and societal issues more holistic.
Manila-based culture writer, consumer researcher, and content strategist, Angel Martinez runs a weekly column with PhilSTAR Life, where she initiates conversations around Gen Z behaviours and issues. Her pieces on identity, the internet, and their intersections have been published in Vice, i-D, Vox, Dazed, and Business Insider, and commissioned by think-tanks including Crowd DNA and Forge Futures. Outside of work, she can be found reading her book of the week in any cafe that serves iced matcha lattes.
