Filipino creativity stepped into the spotlight at MAD STARS 2026 on August 26, as Galing Pilipinas — a three-day showcase of Filipino creativity — opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its exhibit booth in Signiel Busan, marking the country’s debut as the festival’s first-ever Country of Focus.
For the first time in its 19-year history, MAD STARS, Asia’s marketing, advertising, and digital festival, has dedicated a Country of Focus program to a single nation. That distinction went to the Philippines, and the task of bringing it to life fell to adobo Magazine, the festival’s longtime media partner, which conceived and produced Galing Pilipinas as its creative showcase.
The exhibit opening drew a room of dignitaries and industry figures: Vice Consul Maggie Lacaba and Cultural Officer Renan Estrella of the Philippine Consulate General in Busan; MAD STARS’ Chairperson Park and Vice Chairperson Ben Heo; this year’s MAD STARS jury members Roman Olivarez of TBWA\Manila and Nikki Sunga of BBDO Guerrero; and adobo Magazine’s Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief, Angel Guerrero.
Jill Tan Radovan, adobo Magazine’s Editorial & Content Director, hosted the program, welcoming guests to what she called “adobo Magazine’s unique way of showcasing the different facets of Filipino creativity and spotlighting the Philippines as the first-ever Country of Focus.”
A name and a mission
The name Galing Pilipinas carries a deliberate double meaning. In Filipino, galing can mean “from,” denoting origin, or “excellence,” denoting skill and talent — and the program is built to hold both meanings at once.
Angel Guerrero, addressing the guests, traced the project back to the moment MAD STARS approached adobo Magazine with the opportunity to showcase the Philippines as the festival’s first-ever Country of Focus.
“We saw it as an enormous opportunity—not just to showcase trailblazing and award-winning Filipino campaigns, but to recognize the breadth of Filipino creativity across industries and communities. It’s a chance to put the Philippines’ creative economy on an international stage, and proudly celebrate the culture and identity that shape it,” Angel added.
Chairperson Choi of MAD STARS also addressed guests on why the organizing committee chose the Philippines as its inaugural Country of Focus, following brief remarks from Vice Consul Lacaba.
Ribbon-cutting and a guided Tour
After the opening remarks, Angel, Jill, Chairperson Park, Vice Chairperson Ben Heo, Vice Consul Lacaba, Nikki, and Roman and cut the ribbon— officially opening the exhibit, followed by a round of photos.
Jill then led a guided tour, walking guests through the exhibit’s concept and design before handing off to two of adobo Magazine’s team members for a closer look at its contents. She pointed out design touches drawn directly from Filipino visual culture — including “the font commonly used in signages for Filipino jeepneys” and references to traditional textile weaving patterns — woven into the exhibit’s overall aesthetic.
She framed the exhibit’s curatorial approach as deliberately layered: alongside award-winning and commercially successful campaigns, the selection also highlights work that is “uniquely, distinctly Filipino — rooted in our culture and reflecting our national identity,” as well as work so iconic it has become part of everyday Filipino life.
The exhibit included a Wall of Campaigns and an accompanying reel showcasing a mix of MAD STARS-winning, distinctly Filipino, and iconic Philippine campaigns.
It also featured Philippine-made brands and products, several of which — provided through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) — have previously been featured at Manila FAME, the country’s premier trade show for lifestyle, fashion, and home products, and at the Likhang Filipino exhibition halls.
Jill closed the segment by thanking the exhibit’s roster of partners and supporters: the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Consulate General in Busan, CITEM, the Design Center of the Philippines, Philippine Airlines, Oishi, Papemelroti, Guzto Banana Chips, Lemon Square, Lucky Me, M25, Think Tank, and LoudBox Studios.
More to follow
The exhibit opening was only the first of three Galing Pilipinas components. That evening, a Salu-Salo Social brought together Filipino food, drinks, and MAD STARS delegates and jury members at Lilikoi, organized with support from M25, LoudBox, and Think Tank.
The program continues on Friday, August 28 with the Galing Pilipinas conference, bringing together three prominent figures in Philippine marketing and advertising: David Guerrero, Creative Chairman of BBDO Guerrero; Merlee Jayme, Chairmom of Jayme Headquarters and The Misfits Camp; and Dennis Perez, Head of Marketing and Marketing Transformation Lead at Unilever Philippines and Unilever Greater Asia Beauty & Wellbeing. Their sessions will explore how Philippine culture shapes brand strategy and creative output, followed by a cultural dance performance from the United Fil-Korean Families.
The exhibit itself will remain open for the full three days of the festival, tracing Philippine creative work from the 1980s to the present alongside past MAD STARS-winning campaigns from the country.
Part of a bigger stage
Galing Pilipinas unfolds within MAD STARS 2026 at large, the festival’s 19th edition, running from August 26 to 28 at Signiel Busan under the theme “AMPLIFY.” This year’s program includes roughly 40 conference sessions, a Business Market & Exhibition, the Young Stars and New Stars talent competitions, and an Awards Show culminating in the Grand Prix of the Year on August 28. MAD STARS has also introduced AI-powered multilingual services this year, including Filipino-language support, ahead of the festival’s 20th anniversary in 2027.
For adobo Magazine, the moment carries significance beyond a single exhibit opening. As Jill said in her closing remarks, Galing Pilipinas exists “because of partner brands, organizations, and government agencies that believe in Galing Pilipinas” — a coalition assembled, in the space of one festival, to argue that Filipino creativity belongs not just at the table, but on the global stage.
