MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Ayala Museum in Makati City came alive with an electric atmosphere of creativity and ambition as Portfolio Night Manila 2025 welcomed over 50 aspiring young creatives from top universities and creative agencies across the country.
Hosted by adobo Magazine Senior Content Manager Ivan Medina and presented in partnership with The One Club for Creativity, the event offered a rare opportunity for young creatives to showcase their work, receive mentorship from industry leaders, and connect with the broader creative community.
Portfolio Night, founded in 2003, is widely regarded as the world’s largest advertising portfolio review program. This high-energy event takes place in dozens of cities simultaneously, offering aspiring creatives essential advice, networking, and recruitment opportunities. It also functions as a crucial gateway for young talent to break into the industry or find a new role, by connecting them with hundreds of renowned international creative directors who act as mentors to the next generation of industry leaders.
Not just about showing your portfolio
The event began with a lively opening ceremony, where participants were greeted by a video message from The One Club for Creativity CEO Kevin Swanepoel. He welcomed participants, highlighting Portfolio Night’s global reach and its role in connecting young creatives with industry professionals.
“It’s just incredible to see that this year, we had 25 countries around the globe celebrating this evening. We brought together close to 2000, both young creatives and professionals, to review books and to see if you can get a job in the industry,” he said.
“A big thank you to the folks at adobo Magazine who have made this possible. It really is incredible their dedication to young people, as well as the professionals in the industry, and a huge, big thank you to all of the creative professionals who have come out to review books. I know you guys have all wanted to help the young creatives get ahead, and I know that there was a time when you were asking for your book to be reviewed, at least this way, you’re paying it forward for the young creatives who have come out and put themselves out there,” Kevin continued.
Meanwhile, inspiring remarks were delivered by adobo Magazine Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief Angel Guerrero, who emphasized the power of creativity as a transformative force that shapes cultures, drives innovation, and elevates Filipino talent on the global stage.
“Tonight is not just about showing your portfolio — it’s about discovering your voice, understanding your potential, learning from the best, and stepping confidently into the global creative community where your ideas matter. You represent the next wave of Filipino talent, carrying the stories, perspectives, and boldness that will shape the future of our industry,” she shared.
Angel added, “The Philippines has immense creative talent, and tonight, that journey continues. Let this evening inspire you and challenge you. Let it show you what is possible and mark the beginning of a career defined by courage, curiosity, and limitless imagination.”
Over the course of the afternoon, attendees rotated through nine portfolio review sessions, each lasting 15 minutes, where they received direct feedback from some of the Philippines’ most influential creative leaders. These include the following:
- Greg Martin III, Executive Creative Director, Ace Saatchi & Saatchi
- Nikki Sunga, Creative Director, BBDO Guerrero
- Dustin Carbonera, Creative Director and President, Communication Design Association of the Philippines (CDAP)
- Jerry Hizon, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Creative Philippines & Dentsu Creative Manila and Paulo de Leon, Creative Director, Dentsu Creative Manila
- Dana De Leon, Creative Director, GIGIL
- Angie Tijam-Tohid, Executive Creative Director, Havas Ortega
- Apol Sta. Maria, Head of Creatives, Maya
- Dante Abelarde, Executive Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup Philippines
- Mylo de Borja, Head of Art & Creative Director, MullenLowe TREYNA
- Gab Navarro & Arlou Yuzon, Creative Directors, NJYN
- Marcél Lácap, Creative Director, Octopus&Whale
- Isai Martinez, Creative Director, Propel Manila
- Jao Bautista, Executive Creative Director, Propel Manila
- Jordan Santos, Group Creative Director, Publicis JimenezBasic
- Russell Molina, Chief Digital Officer, Seven A.D.
- John Ed De Vera, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\SMP
- Reena Robles, Managing Partner, The Huddle Room
- Dan Pambid, Executive Creative Director, Tribal Worldwide Philippines
- Javey Villones, Head of Art & Group Creative Director, VML Manila
Beyond technical guidance, delegates were also offered inspiring advice and personal reflections, giving them a clearer picture of what lies ahead as they embark on careers in the Philippine creative industry.
Emerging as Manila’s All-Star was MINT College’s Louise Pearce, whose drive, vision, and dedication have not only brought her personal fulfillment but also put Manila on the world stage.
“What made this year’s All-Star winner stand out from the rest is the competition mindset that this person has. Louise has that competition mindset in her work. Obviously, she is built for competition,” Propel Manila Executive Creative Director Jao Bautista said in an interview with adobo Magazine.
He added, “If the All-Star Winner will be competing at a global scale, the way she did her portfolio, presented her ideas, and showed us her work, it’s very competition-ready. It’s so great to have representation from Manila to compete internationally.”
As this year’s Manila All-Star Winner, Louise will join other young creatives from around the world. They will be grouped into global teams and tasked with developing a campaign for a real-world brief provided by the exclusive global sponsor, Google. She will represent the Philippines at the Global Portfolio Night All-Stars alongside winners from other participating cities, as part of a week-long program with The One Club for Creativity.
To be named the Manila All-Star means Louise’s work was judged as the single best portfolio among a highly competitive field. Despite the confidence Louise’s work exuded, the win itself was a surprise.
“It was really unexpected. For a second, I didn’t process it because, being in a room full of creatives, you see glimpses of their work, and it’s already so impressive. I feel like, as an artist, it’s easy to see the beauty in others. You tend to think, ‘Wow, everyone here is so good; how am I going to do this?’ But in the end, it was a shock, but a very pleasant one,” she told adobo Magazine.
Likewise, for the 21-year-old young creative, the All-Star recognition is more than a trophy — it’s a vital validation at a critical early stage in her creative journey.
“I’m at a very young stage of my creative journey, so an opportunity like this is a very big thing. I’m just getting my footing. So being in a room full of very established creatives in our industry is a big deal to someone like me who’s starting off,” she underscored.
During the rigorous, one-on-one sessions, Louise presented “Pearcefolio,” a collection of her selected work that focuses on experiential projects. It comprises heavily featured film and music events such as “Película > Pelikula,” “International Silent Film Festival Manila,” “Praise the Loud,” and “Fathers of Circumstances.”
“Each of these projects has a central theme explored, such as perspectives, contradictions, devotion, and silhouette,” she shared with adobo Magazine.
“In true multimedia fashion, this portfolio explores a range of outputs: from digital ads to printed magazines and booklets to product packaging design and even handprinted merchandise, as seen in the projects’ Sweet Stop’ and ‘Deep in the Drawers,'” she continued.
Eventually, Louise received advice that fundamentally shifted her focus. Asked about the piece of advice that struck her the most, she shared, “While looking through my portfolio, they said, ‘Oh, I really like this. I really like this project, that project.’ But then they asked me, ‘But I want to see you,’ ‘I want to see the person behind the portfolio.’ So I think that kind of made me pause and reel back for a second and think of me as a creative [person] before my client list and before my project.”
The night also awarded Yohanna Elyse Mendoza of De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde as First Runner-up, and Bianca Francesca L. Delos Santos of iAcademy as the Second Runner-up.
Meanwhile, past Portfolio Night Manila All-Star winners Kayla Oruga (2024) and Jacob Banog (2023) took the stage to share their journeys, captivating the audience with firsthand accounts of how Portfolio Night became a transformative milestone in their creative careers.
Kayla currently works at DDB Manila as a Junior Art Director, while Jacob is the Art Director of Propel Manila, and represented the Philippines at the Cannes Young Lions Competition in the Digital Category where he and Michaela “Maxx” Macalinao got shortlisted and placed 7th out of 53 competing teams.
During their talk, Kayla reflected on the invaluable lessons she gained from her reviewers, from refining her storytelling skills to developing the confidence to present bold ideas, which ultimately opened doors to prestigious projects and collaborations beyond the Philippines.
Jacob, the inaugural Manila All-Star Winner and one of the 2023 Global All-Stars Grand Prize winners, on the other hand, recounted his experience progressing from the Manila stage to competing with fellow All-Stars worldwide, ultimately earning recognition in New York City. Their stories resonated deeply with the attendees, reinforcing the event’s role not just as a portfolio showcase, but as a launchpad for young creatives to expand their horizons, connect with industry leaders, and step into international arenas with confidence and ambition.
The night concluded with networking and socializing, allowing attendees to build connections, exchange ideas, and soak in the inspiration that defined Portfolio Night Manila 2025. With mentorship, recognition, and community at its core, the event once again proved that the Philippines’ next wave of creative talent is ready to make its mark — both locally and globally.
“[Portfolio Night] offers young creators a valuable chance to put themselves out there and gain meaningful exposure. It gives them a real foot in the door. It’s an inspiring and insightful event—not just for them, but for us reviewers as well,” GIGIL Creative Director Dana De Leon told adobo Magazine.
Ultimately, a heartfelt thank you to universities and agencies who participated in Portfolio Night 2025 Manila:
- CIIT College of Arts and Technology
- De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde
- Enderun Colleges FEU Alabang
- FEU Institute of Technology FEU – Manila
- Holy Angel University Pampanga
- iAcademy
- Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila
- MAPUA Malayan Colleges
- Laguna Mapua University – Makati
- MAPUA University – Manila
- Saint Louis University
- University of Santo Tomas
- VML Manila
- MINT College
Likewise, Portfolio Night Manila 2025 wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors:
- Silver Sponsors: BPI, Propel Manila
- Bronze Sponsors: Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, GIGIL, TBWA\ SMP
- Partner: Ayala Foundation, Inc.
- Venue Partner: Ayala Museum
- Food Partners: Jollibee, Chowking PH, KFC
- Swag Kit Partners: Monde Nissin, Prestige Paper Products
- Spirits Partner: GSM Premium Gin
- Beer Partner: San Miguel Beer
