THE UST Department of Marketing Management and its chair have been recognized with top prizes during the 43rd Agora Awards, the annual recognition program organized by the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA).
UST was named Marketing School of the Year and earned the Outstanding Achievement for Marketing Education during the awards ceremony on Jan. 28 at the Manila Marriott Hotel.
Antonio Etrata Jr., chair of the Department of Marketing Management under the College of Commerce and Business Administration, was named Marketing Educator of the Year in the collegiate category.
Etrata said the award challenged him to play a more active role in the field of marketing education.
“I want to be a part of something bigger than myself, to play a small role in shaping the future of marketing and, more importantly, to help my students become ethical and innovative leaders,” he said.
Entrata obtained his undergraduate degree in commerce at the University of Cordilleras in 2001. He completed his master’s degree in business administration in 2013 and doctorate in commerce in 2020 at UST.
He began teaching at the Department of Marketing Management in 2018 and was promoted to chair in August 2024.
With the recognition, Etrata said the department would remain committed to maintaining relevance by aligning its curriculum and research with marketing trends.
“[It is] a responsibility that we should stay relevant in an industry that is constantly evolving, ensuring that our curriculum, pedagogy, and research reflect the latest developments in our field,” he said.
Recently, the department partnered with the Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines for an institutionalized digital marketing certification program, which will be embedded in its advertising course.
A registered marketing professional certification exam will be conducted in partnership with JA Philippines to expand the department’s research, student engagement, and faculty development.
The Media Specialist Association of the Philippines will also help the department review its integrated marketing communications course.
This year, the department plans to expand its market research initiatives through the technology business incubator TOMASInno Center and the Market Research Center at the St. Raymund de Peñafort Building.
“Our initiatives moving forward should not just be confined in the four corners of our classrooms or within the University; we must build more collaborations in the industry and other institutions of higher learning offering a marketing program,” Etrata said.
Winners in the Agora Awards were selected from a list of nominees, which underwent evaluation by a panel composed of industry experts.
The Agora Awards started in 1979 and is the annual recognition program of the PMA, a group composed of marketers who want to develop and promote the marketing profession in the Philippines.
UST previously won the Marketing School of the Year Award twice, in 2016 and 2022.
