IABC Philippines and COMCO School of Communications Launch The Communications Olympiad: ‘Rewrite Climate Change”

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, the country chapter of the leading worldwide network of communication professionals, and COMCO School of Communications, the communication training and education arm of global award-winning communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, join forces to mount the first everCommunications Olympiad in the Philippines.

The Communications Olympiad is a nationwidecommunications training program for collegiate students taking up Mass Communication, Communication Arts, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Marketing Communications, Journalism, Broadcast Communication, Communications Research, Development Communication, Digital Marketing, and other related disciplines. A partnership between COMCO School of Communications and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, The Communications Olympiad aims to empower the next generation of communicators by providing them with transformative knowledge with real-world applications. The initiative envisions providing a learning journey with practical exercises through an Olympiad-level competition for the participants to advance their skills as the next communications professionals.

A champion of talent development, COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises was awarded in 2024 with the much-coveted Global IABC Gold Quill Award for Communication Training and Education for its long-running and industry-renowned Camp COMCO Mentorship Program. This time, COMCO Mundo makes communication education even bigger as it reaches out to more students across the country with its partnership with IABC Philippines for the inaugural Communications Olympiad.

 

The Communications Olympiad is another student initiative of IABC Philippines in partnership with COMCO School of Communications and is distinctfrom the Philippine Student Quill Awards. The Student Quill Awards highlights performance and results through a competitive recognition platform while The Communications Olympiad centers on hands-on learning and guided experience culminating in a competition.

Inaugural Theme: Rewrite Climate Change

This year’s Olympiad revolves around the theme: "Rewrite Climate Change." The focus is not on developing scientific solutions but on reshaping the narrative and practices surrounding climate change through effective communication. Participants are called to inform, educate, and inspire, emphasizing the role of storytelling and advocacy in driving awareness, shifting behaviors, and fostering collective action.

As a nation and part of a region being among the most vulnerable to climate impacts yet contributing minimally to global emissions, the Philippines provides a critical perspective in this conversation. The initiative urges to help build communication strategies open to be adopted and applied for the benefit on a realistic scale for a secured sustainable future through purposeful communication.

Learning Journey: Training, Activities and Competition

The program will have three phases: the Qualifier Phase, the Elimination Round, and the Grand Championship. Phase one or the Qualifier Phase will require one team per academic institution which is comprised of 5 undergraduate students from the mentioned programs.  Each team can be comprised of a project leader, a writer, a designer, a head researcher, and a lead presenter. Thechosen team representing the school will need to submittheir position paper and an entry form which information can be accessed through website www.comcomundo.com/the-communications-olympiad/. The requirements shall then be emailed tocommunicationsolympiad@comcomundo.com on or before March 14, 2025. The position papers which serve as Qualifier Phase entries will be thoroughly evaluated and 30 finalists and participants will be selected to proceed to the Elimination Round. 

The second phase which is the Elimination Round will comprise of pilot class and training sessions which will be made available to participants to help them build the expected skills set for the program. This shall include the Best Practices in Communications, the Role of Communications in Environment Conservation, and Innovations in Communications. Afterwards, the participants will be briefed and be given 24 hours to create a 10-slide communications plan which will be deliberated to see the best works to proceed to the final round.

The final phase is the Grand Championship where the 15 finalists strained from the 30 participants will get a chance to vie for the category medals. At this junction, the top 3 finalists will be announced to present their communication plan to the jury composed of experts in the industry. One team will emerge The Communications Olympiad Grand Champion, along with the first and second runners-up. Exciting prizes await the top winners along with a prestigious trophy that their schools will bring home!

Call for Sponsors and Partners

IABC Philippines and COMCO School of Communications invite companies, brands, media outletsand student organizations to be part of this initiative through sponsorship and partnership opportunities. Companies and brands can participate as a co-presenter or sponsors while media groups and student organizations can join as partners of the program. For more details, interested parties can email communicationsolympiad@comcomundo.com. 

Ferdinand L. Bondoy, Corporate Secretary and Lead for Youth and Education of IABC Philippines as well as Group Chief Executive Director and Overall Lead for Strategic Communications / Partner and Co-Founder ofCOMCO Mundo shared, “The Communications Olympiad drives the power of Meaningful Storytelling in facing head-on real-world issues on climate change. With COMCO’s expertise in communication training and education fueled with grit and excellence together with IABC Philippines’ strong support in the promotion of sustainability, we aim to make this a very productive learning journey not only for the students but for the industry and relevant stakeholders as well, which can help propel action for the environment.”

Belle Tiongco, President of IABC Philippines and Vice President and Co-Founder of Football for Humanity, meanwhile said, ““At IABC Philippines, we believe that effective communication has the power to drive real change. In line with the organization’s focus on sustainability as demonstrated by last year’s Triple P Awards, IABC is now embarking on a new chapter, together with COMCO School of Communications, combining both thrusts on education and advocacy, which is The Communications Olympiad.   We aim to achieve bigger social impact by putting sustainability as one of our stepping stones for development." 

To know more about The Communications Olympiad, please visit www.comcomundo.com/the-communications-olympiad/ and follow us at www.facebook.com/communicationsolympiad on Facebook and www.linkedin.com/company/the-communications-olympiad on LinkedIn.

For more information on sponsorship and partnership packages, email us at communicationsolympiad@comcomundo.com.

COMCO Mundo Celebrates Global IABC Gold Quill Agency of the Year Victory with Inaugural Purple Ball

 COMCO Mundo celebrates its wins at the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)’s global Gold Quill Awards 2024 with the The Purple Ball: COMCO’s Gold Victory Celebration at the F1 Hotel in Bonifacio Global City.

The COMCO Mundo Squadron converged for The Purple Ball: COMCO’s Gold Victory Celebration, igniting global excellence in communications.

 

As the first communications agency from the Philippines and Southeast Asia to receive the highly-coveted Agency of the Year (Mid-Size Agency) award during the 2024 Gold Quill Awards in Chicago, USA, interregional powerhouse communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises / COMCO Southeast Asia is also the only consultancy firm from Asia-Pacific to be included in this year’s Best of the Best and Special Award Winners of the internationally acclaimed award giving body. 

 

 

COMCO Mundo / COMCO Southeast Asia receives the global IABC 2024 Gold Quill Awards Agency of the Year Award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

(Photo Credit: Florencio Jusay Jr.)

The Agency of the Year recognition marks COMCO Mundo’s compelling presence and seal of excellence, not just in the Asia-Pacific region, but also across the world as it continues to work with local and international brands and projects with its own unique brand of #MeaningfulStorytelling. The Gold Quill Awards' “Agency of the Year” honor is given to agencies with the highest-rated entries making these top organizations the Global Best of the Best and Special Award Winners. Since the Gold Quill Awards’ inception in 2008, this is the first time that a Filipino and Southeast Asian agency won the much sought-after award in the industry. 

 

  

Ceremonial awarding of the 2024 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gold Quill Awards to COMCO Mundo and its partner organizations together with the IABC officials  (from left): Awarding of the Corporate Social Responsibility and Climate Change and Sustainability Communication Awards to Century Tuna and COMCO Mundo; Awarding of the Digital Communication and Social Media Awards to COMCO Mundo and Write to Ignite Season 3 Winners; and Awarding of the Communication Training and Education Award COMCO Mundo with its Camp COMCO Mentorship House Stewards.

 

COMCO is also the most awarded organization in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific at the Gold Quill Awards 2024 receiving recognitions in Corporate Social Responsibility and Climate Change and Sustainability Communication for “Save Our Planet, Save Our Seas – The Century Tuna “Saving Our Seas” Initiative”, in Digital Communication and Social Media for “UNMASKED: The COMCO Mundo Write to Ignite Initiative Season 3”, and in Communication Training and Education for “Igniting Talent – The Camp COMCO Mentorship Program”.

 

“A long time ago, we had a dream. And the dream was for us to stand tall on the world stage together with other fellow communicators from all the different countries,” said Philippine Chair of the IABC Gold Quill Awards’ Blue Ribbon Panel, IABC Philippines Adviser, and IABC Fellow, Ms. Ritzi Villarico-Ronquillo, APR. “Tonight, the dream, years ago, is not just a dream. COMCO made it a reality. Not only for every Filipino communicator but also for our country and for the next generation. So beyond the trophy, the crusade has started. We must stand tall with our colleagues across the globe. We must show them just how Pinoys can really be excellent.”

 

The USA-headquartered IABC is a global network of communication professionals that recognizes the best practices and innovative campaigns of agencies, companies, and brands that foster excellence in the field of communications through the Gold Quill Awards.

 

Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy delivers a speech to toast the group’s accomplishments since its creation in 2016 and fulfillment of its Mission 2024.

 

“The 1st Purple Ball is a celebration not just of the awards that COMCO has received this year but also of the growth of our amazing team, our COMCO squadron, which we have built and nurtured through the years. The Agency has come this far because of all the dedication, passion and craftsmanship of each and every COMCOy. To represent the Philippines as well as Southeast Asia and even the Asia-Pacific region on the world’s biggest arena in the practice of the communications profession is an honor we proudly accept as it serves as a testament of what can be accomplished by our commitment to craftsmanship excellence, workplace community culture, and meaningful storytelling,” said Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, COMCO Mundo Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder.

 

In 2023, the Public Relations and Communications Association Asia-Pacific (PRCA-APAC), the world’s largest professional PR body, honored COMCO as the Medium PR Consultancy of the Year during the PRCA APAC Awards 2023 for its efforts in community leadership and innovation. Earlier this year, the Dubai-based communications agency of COMCO Mundo, COMCO Middle East & Africa (COMCO MEA), was recognized by Caterer Middle East’s F&B PR Power List 2024 which celebrates exceptional and influential PR firms and campaigns in the region.

 

Stay updated with COMCO Mundo by visiting http://www.comcomundo.com or following fb.com/comcomundo on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcomundo on LinkedIn, and @comcomundo on Instagram.

COMCO Southeast Asia appoints Head of Digital and ICOM

Fast moving to its 7th year, COMCO Southeast Asia (SEA) reinforces its expansion as it appoints seasoned communications practitioner Michelle “Mish” Marie Casal to be the group’s newest Deputy Account Operations Director and Digital, Social and Content Administrator. 

 

With over a decade of experience in digital and integrated marketing, public relations, brand strategy, and business development, Mish leads COMCO’s digital and integrated communications (ICOM) business unit that offers services like social media management, digital activation and public relations, influencer marketing, multimedia arts, video storytelling, and community management, among others. She leads the management of COMCO’s key digital and integrated communications accounts such as Lamoiyan Corporation’s Licealiz Anti-Head Lice Shampoo, logistics giant Lalamove, leading home-improvement store Mr.DIY, health products producer APLGO, Sun Life Asia Service Center Philippines, the shared services arm of Sun Life Philippines, the European Higher Education Fair of the European Union in the Philippines, and Uratex Monobloc. 

Throughout her career, Mish was able to hone expertise in almost all industries such as real estate, healthcare, FMCG, BPO, B2B, and more. Some of the clients she’s worked with include MSD, Aboitiz Land, DHL, Victory Liner, and Shell. 

Apart from Mish, the Agency also welcomes Pinky Tuason Integrated Communications Supervisor and Paula Jhea Sison as Brand Communications Officer.

Pinky is an accomplished communications professional with experience in writing, events management, content creation and planning, design, and video editing. She has a diverse work background having worked in industries ranging from manufacturing to technology and social institutions. Before joining COMCO SEA, Pinky was already an award winner after bagging two prestigious Anvil Awards: The Anvil Award of Excellence for “Bachang Advocacy” for Canon and the Anvil Award of Recognition for “PMTV Heads Up!” for Philip Morris International. 

Meanwhile, Paula is an exceptional communications practitioner and writer with extensive experience in the government relations industry. For two consecutive years, she received the Pag-Asa ng Bayan Award (Employee of the Year) and the Dangal ng Bayan Award (Employee of the Year) while working for the Pangasinan Provincial Government. Paula will be part of the incoming Camp COMCO Mentorship Program Cycle 19. 

Along with COMCO Southeast Asia’s newest officers, the Agency is equally proud to onboard top graduates of its multi-awarded Camp COMCO Mentorship Program. They are Hiacynth Ablanez, Cum Laude from Bulacan State University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting; Patricia Yap, Magna Cum Laude from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts; Gabby Marcelo from De La Salle University – Dasmariñas with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication - Public Relations; Mabel Villanueva, Magna Cum Laude from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations; Dianne Curray, Magna Cum Laude from the Lyceum of the Philippines University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication - Major in Integrated Marketing Communications; Gabriel Gonzales from Mapua University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts and Sciences; and Jaderick Buhay, Magna Cum Laude from the University of Batangas with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication who will be part of the incoming COMCO Mentorship Program Cycle 19.

With these new additions to the team, COMCO Southeast Asia’s Regional Integration & Chief Executive Director Mr. Ferdinand Bondoy trusts that the Agency he co-founded is in good hands. “Mish, together with our new team members, are a great addition to our growing team. With her solid experience and expertise, I believe that COMCO SEA’s digital, social, content, and integrated communications arm will continue to flourish, create excellent campaigns, and provide quality service to our clients,” says Mr. Ferdinand Bondoy, COMCO SEA’s Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder.

To know more about COMCO Southeast Asia, visit comcosea.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comco.southeastasia on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcosea, and @comco_sea on both Instagram and Twitter. 

COMCO SEA Wins Big in the 19th Philippine Quill with 3 Top Awards and 30 Metals

Trailblazing and global award-winning communications agency COMCO Southeast Asia has accomplished yet another milestone after winning 3 Top Awards and 30 metals from the prestigious 19^th Philippine Quill Awards organized by the International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) Philippines.

For the much-coveted Communication Management and COVID Communications categories, COMCO Southeast Asia bagged both Top Awards for its landmark initiative “Dear Survivor: The COMCO Southeast Asia Write to Ignite Blogging Project Season 2” besting over 800 entries nationwide. The “Write to Ignite Blogging Project” is an initiative of ComCo Southeast Asia championing the triumph of the human spirit through inspiring stories during these challenging times. “Dear Survivor: The COMCO Southeast Asia Write to Ignite Blogging Project Season 2” was co-presented by Eastern Communications and Jobstreet, sponsored by AirAsia and Xiaomi, and supported by Teleperformance. Beneficiaries of the program include Gawad Kalinga, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Save the Children, World Vision, and WWF. 

Moreover, the “Camp COMCO House Wars: The Force of Learning in New PR and Smart Social”, COMCO Southeast Asia’s award-winning intensive and comprehensive talent incubation initiative, industry linkage course and apprenticeship program, also won a nomination for the Top Award in Communication Training and Education, alongside Awards of Excellence for Communication Training and Education and Communication Management – Internal Communications. Camp COMCO House Wars has partnered with various brands and organizations such as Unilab Foundation, Starbucks, FWD Insurance, Theo & Philo artisan chocolates, CARA Welfare Philippines, and ABS-CBN among others, to deliver this landmark initiative. Camp COMCO Mentorship Program started with its first cycle in 2016 and continuously growing as it reaches its 18^th Cycle this year, with over 100 graduates in a span of 6 years.

 

In total, COMCO Southeast Asia won an overwhelming number of 30 Quill Excellence and Merit Awards together with its partner brands in various industries and sectors such as JobStreet, Teleperformance, Lamoiyan Corporation’s Licealiz, Defensil, Unilab Foundation, and World Vision, as well as SEA Wave magazine, which made them the Agency of the Year 2nd Runner-up.

 

Since its creation in 2016, COMCO Southeast Asia has already won a total of 137 awards and citations from various local and international award-giving bodies such as IABC Quill Awards, MarCom Awards in USA, Mumbrella Awards, Marketing Event Awards, Spikes Asia, Anvil Awards, Kidlat, ARAW Advertising Values Awards, The Filipino Times Awards in UAE, ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, Marketing Interactive Asia’s PR Awards Asia-Pacific, PRCA APAC (Public Relations and Communications Association Asia-Pacific) Awards, CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations) Excellence Awards in the United Kingdom, Campaign Asia Pacific’s PR Awards Asia in Hong Kong, The Gold Standard Awards, APAC Tambuli Awards, and Stevie Awards.

 

"Together with our client partners, our mission is to continue igniting social change with real and impactful campaigns. While our main goal for the programs we create and implement is to touch lives and make a difference, we are truly grateful that our authentic projects have been recognized with awards from reputable organizations like the IABC and this just inspires us to continue with our mission of #MeaningfulStorytelling," said COMCO Southeast Asia's Regional Integration and Chief Executive Director Ferdinand L. Bondoy.

 

The Quill Awards is organized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), and it is one of the world’s most prestigious awards programs in the field of business communication. For two decades, the Quill Awards have only been bestowed to the most reputable organizations and corporations in the Philippines that are making a difference in business and society. To win a Philippine Quill means being recognized as achieving the highest Global Standard for business communication practices.

To know more about COMCO Southeast Asia, visit comcosea.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comco.southeastasia on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcosea, and @comco_sea on both Instagram and Twitter.