Charlie Agatep, the Chairman and CEO of Grupo Agatep Inc., was recently awarded the Parangal Hagbong by the Varsitarian, the University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) official student publication, during this year’s Gawad Ustetika held online via Facebook livestream last 26 June 2022.
The Parangal Hagbong, drawn from an old Tagalog word that means “laureate,” has been granted by the Varsitarian since 1997 to honor the lifetime achievements and contributions of outstanding Thomasians in the fields of literature and the arts. It was first conceived during the 13th Gawad Ustetika, the university’s longest-running literary derby for budding Thomasian writers.
Alongside Agatep, Dr. Crispin Maslog, renowned Filipino media scholar, journalist and writer, also received the Parangal Hagbong this year.
Agatep has been a pioneer in the field of public relations in the country since the 1950s and taught PR and communications for years at UST. He continues to lead one of the top integrated marketing communications agencies in the country, spearheading outstanding campaigns that have been recognized by various award-giving bodies, both locally and internationally. Agatep is a recipient of the Gawad Panday, the highest honor awarded by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines in 2017. He has also authored ‘Winning the Anvils’, the foremost guide to helping individuals and businesses in the country’s top PR prize.
Just recently, Agatep became the first Filipino to earn the title Communicator of the Year in the Executive Leader category at this year’s International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Asia Pacific Communicator of the Year Awards.
“If you want to enter the PR industry and leave a positive legacy, you should always have an open mind. Communication, just like any other discipline, is a continuous process of learning. There is always so much more to explore, there is always a new technology or innovation waiting in the horizon. You must always be at the forefront of trends because our business to help people manage their reputations is always evolving,” said Agatep.
“If you want to succeed in PR, or in any field for that matter, go at it with a child-like curiosity. And have that sense of wonder, of curiosity, to approach these things with an inquisitive mind. That’s where the magic begins,” Agatep added.
Know more about Grupo Agatep by visiting their website at www.grupoagatep.com or sending them an email via [email protected].