The local aviation scene is buzzing as Cebu Pacific (5J | CEB) flies high on the global stage once again. The Philippines’ leading carrier secured a spectacular triple win at the prestigious 2026 Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards held on 05 June 2026. This latest achievement highlights the airline’s commitment to purpose-driven marketing initiatives that do more than just sell tickets. Through these efforts, Cebu Pacific has successfully promoted Philippine tourism, championed cultural preservation, and fostered deep community development across the archipelago and beyond.
Organized annually by the University of Asia and the Pacific, the Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards stand as a premier benchmark in the region. The program honors brands, organizations, and individuals that manage to achieve stellar business success while simultaneously driving a tangible, positive impact on society. Cebu Pacific proved that commercial aviation can be a powerful vehicle for social good by taking home some of the night’s most coveted titles.
The headline achievement for the night saw Cebu Pacific named as the Marketing Team of the Year, a direct nod to the massive success of their Fly to Your Happy Philippines campaign. Adding to the trophy haul, the airline’s innovative Flight Patterns project earned two major accolades. These included a prestigious Grand Prix in the Builders of Society under the Arts, Culture, and Heritage category, alongside a Silver award in the Builders of Society under the Tambuli Origins category.
Reflecting on the monumental wins, Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, expressed deep gratitude to the partners who helped bring the airline’s vision to life. She noted that since the very beginning, the carrier’s ultimate goal has been to build a stronger nation by connecting communities, celebrating local cultures, and creating life-changing opportunities through travel. Iyog emphasized that these awards put the Philippines firmly on the global tourism map and reenergize the entire organization to create even more meaningful impacts alongside their teams and local communities.
The Marketing Team of the Year award is a highly competitive title that recognizes teams demonstrating outstanding collaboration, creativity, and absolute excellence in executing purpose-driven programs. Led by Marketing Director Michelle Eve De Guzman, the Cebu Pacific marketing team made history by becoming only the second winner of this category since its introduction last year.
The airline earned this ultimate team distinction through Fly to Your Happy Philippines. This massive campaign carefully leveraged diverse traveler insights from various countries to showcase the unique ways different nationalities experience pure happiness when visiting the Philippines. The execution was nothing short of historic for a local brand.
As a primary highlight of the campaign, Cebu Pacific became the first-ever Philippine company to take over Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa with a spectacular Fly to Happy, Fly to the Philippines lights and sound display. The airline did not stop there, launching high-visibility activations at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, the trendy Seongsu neighborhood in Seoul, and Orchard Road in Singapore. Each activation beautifully showcased the signature warmth of Filipino hospitality and the country’s breathtaking destinations to a massive global audience.
The sweeping success of this international push underscored the extensive, behind-the-scenes work undertaken by the Cebu Pacific team. The project required consolidating complex global insights, coordinating with international government organizations, and collaborating closely with marketing agencies, media outlets, and global influencers. Ultimately, these synchronized efforts successfully brought the beauty of the Philippines much closer to eager travelers across the airline’s fifteen international markets.
On the cultural front, the Flight Patterns campaign secured the Grand Prix for Builders of Society in Arts, Culture, and Heritage, which is the highest possible honor in that specific category. The award recognizes initiatives that foster deep appreciation and awareness of culture and human creativity. The campaign also took home the Silver Award for Builders of Society in Tambuli Origins, a category celebrating campaigns that focus on highlighting and preserving local traditions, values, and distinct cultural identity.
Flight Patterns brilliantly brought traditional Filipino weaving heritage directly into everyday travel spaces. The airline placed scannable QR codes on massive billboards along major thoroughfares, at airports nationwide, and within select travel magazines. This creative move shined a much-needed spotlight on remote Filipino weaving communities and the local artisans whose powerful stories inspired the campaign in the first place.
Each scannable code featured five distinct, centuries-old weaving traditions from across the country. Travelers were introduced to Ilocos Norte’s Binakol, Occidental Mindoro’s Ramit, Iloilo’s Hablon, Antique’s Patadyong, and Basilan’s Tennun. By scanning the codes, passengers could instantly learn about the intricate details of each weave, the specific destinations where they originate, and the indigenous communities keeping the craft alive, sparking a deeper appreciation for Philippine culture.
This culturally significant campaign was made possible through vital partnerships with key government agencies. Cebu Pacific worked hand-in-hand with the Department of Tourism and the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research Institute to ensure the authenticity and educational value of the project.
This year’s triumphant showing further builds on Cebu Pacific’s consistently strong track record at the Tambuli Awards. The airline is no stranger to the upper echelons of marketing leadership, as Candice Iyog herself was named the Chief Marketing Officer of the Year back in 2024, an award that recognized her ongoing leadership in advancing the yellow carrier’s purpose-driven storytelling. For aviation enthusiasts and travelers alike, these accolades prove that Cebu Pacific is flying high not just in passenger numbers, but in heart and national pride.
Photo by Jill Tan Radovan of adobo Magazine