With a collective quest to promote purpose-driven innovation and share strategies on humanizing technology, experts discussed the future of Filipino marketing in a gathering of the country’s esteemed marketers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders at the Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle.
Dubbed as “From Data to Empathy: Using AI to Understand the Filipino Customer,” the event was spearheaded by the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA), in collaboration with the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), to further strengthen industry-academe partnerships.
The event was in line with the Benilde Marketing Management Program’s goal to foster industry engagement and academic excellence.
Philippine Marketing Association president Ma. Cristina Llacer-Oreta, CPM
“The theme may sound technical, but its heart is about something very human,” PMA president Ma. Cristina Llacer-Oreta, CPM, remarked during the organization’s 4th General Membership Meeting. “It’s about how we can use modern technology, especially artificial intelligence, not just to collect data but to truly understand the people we are serving.”
School of Management and Information Technology dean Joana Diñoso
The message of Benilde Chancellor Benhur Ong, MBA, as delivered by the School of Management and Information Technology (SMIT) Dean Joana Diñoso, DBA, centered on rising above trend analysis and digital transformation to achieve a heart-led future.
“In this fast-changing world where artificial intelligence is transforming industries, let us not forget that the Filipino customer is not just a data point,” Diñoso mentioned. “They are a story, a community, a dream. They are the reason we strategize, innovate, and evolve.”
Benilde vice chancellor for academics Angelo Marco Lacson
On the other hand, Benilde vice chancellor for academics Angelo Marco Lacson emphasized how individuals can reframe AI as a tool for cultural empathy that will resonate with the emotional and values-centered Filipino market.
“Filipino consumers are not just metrics—they are families budgeting meals, overseas workers sending remittances, and small business owners hustling online,” Lacson stated. “If we want to engage them authentically, we must go beyond data points and honor their humanity.”
Undersecretary Gerald Divinagracia, deputy director general for operations of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA)
Undersecretary Gerald Divinagracia, deputy director general for operations of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), explained the importance of leveraging AI in gathering data and streamlining the processes of agencies and businesses.
Divinagracia likewise noted that it is vital to have a technology that reflects Filipino values such as pakikipagkapwa (shared humanity), bayanihan (communal unity), and family-orientedness to provide more personalized and meaningful experiences.
“Today, empathy is the new standard. Filipinos don’t just want faster service; they want to feel heard,” he said. “People want to be understood, not just served with machines. To close the gap, AI must go beyond cold automation. It must combine tech and emotion to deliver service that’s not just smart but truly human.”
Centre Médicale Internationale president Gary de Ocampo
Healthcare expert Centre Médicale Internationale president Gary de Ocampo also imparted valuable insights based from his observations on the use of AI in the Philippine healthcare industry. According to him, marketers are supposed to own AI’s voice.
“We fail when we prioritize speed over stewardship,” De Ocampo claimed. “We fail when we simply let machines decide. And in marketing, we all know this—any tool is only as good as the hands using and guiding them.”
Joceyl Mismanos, founder and CEO of JM D’Generous
To cap off the lectures, Joceyl Mismanos, founder and CEO of digital transformation coaching services JM D’Generous, gave the audience a glimpse of her entrepreneurial journey and how she has helped Pinoy business owners by sharing her expertise on information technology.
“It’s not just about sales and marketing,” Mismanos highlighted. “The best and only way is to have sales automation that will lift the heavy work for you. You can automatically convert maximum sales and finally bring back the freedom you truly deserve.”
The talks were followed by an open forum. Afterwards, they proceeded with the induction of the new members of PMA.
SMIT Graduate School chairperson Dr. Zosimo Membrebe Jr.
Dr. Zosimo Membrebe Jr., chairperson of the Benilde School of Management and Information Technology (SMIT) Graduate School, also gave the participants an overview of the college’s graduate-level offerings.
The Benilde Marketing Center, together with the Benilde Junior Marketing Association (BJMA) and the Guild of Events Management Students (GEMS), mounted an exhibition which displayed the features of the institution’s marketing curriculum, experiential learning approach, and student-led initiatives.
