The Advertising Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (Ad Foundation) was envisioned as early as 1983, by Luis “Louie” J. Morales, then the Chairman of the Philippine Board of Advertising (PBA; became the Ad Board in 1989), together with a group of seven (7) individual business and industry leaders from the multi-sector advertising and marketing communications industry, namely; Oscar Villadolid and Marcial Carrion of San Miguel Corporation, Rizalino “Roy” Navarro of SGV, Cesar Bautista of Phil. Refining Co. (Unilever Phils.), Linda Gamboa of ASAP, Menardo Jimenez of GMA Network, and Ruben Nunez of the PBA. 

Assisting the group was Jose Rafael “Ernie” Hernandez, a former Account Management Executive of Ace Saatchi & Saatchi – Philippines, then working in Madison Ave., New York City, U.S.A., as a Filipino expatriate, who provided materials & other reference materials on the Advertising Council of the Americas. It was in 1985 – ’86, though, that the PBA, then chaired by Manuel “Meckoy” Quiogue of PANA, and subsequently, by Andre Kahn of KBP, as PBA Chairman of the Board of the PBA, respectively.

In 1986, the PBA and its Industry Development Committee (IDC), then chaired by Stella Villegas of PANA, attended to the incorporation requirements of the Ad Foundation, filed the Ad Foundation incorporation documents and by-laws with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) in mid - 1986. Ms. Villegas pursued the needed coordination and follow-up work with the SEC thereafter.

The SEC approved the incorporation of the Advertising Foundation of the Philippines on January 16, 1989. The Ad Foundation was launched on August 31, 1989, highlighted by its logo unveiling, undertaken pro bono by multi-awarded designer, Angel L. Bunag, then the President of the Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines (ASAP) and a board director of the PBA.

The launch coincided with the PBA’s 15th founding anniversary and its change of name from the PBA to the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard). PBA’s Special Projects Committee (SPC), co-Chaired by Linda Gamboa and Oscar Villadolid, also included the launch of a Php 1.0 M fund drive for the start-up operations of the Ad Foundation. Louie Morales, who envisioned the creation of the Ad Foundation was at the helm of the PBA, now the AdBoard. Ad Foundation started its actual operations on July 15, 1990.

The Ad Foundation as the social development body of the multi-sectoral industry for Values Advocacy and Social Marketing endeavors, is often referred to as the “social conscience of the industry”. Ad Foundation is a non-profit, non-stock and non-partisan corporation, a non-VATable organization, and a duly certified business league and tax-exempt donee institution.

  • Non-profit, non-stock corporation: SEC – registered

  • Business League: DOF – BIR 5 – 26- 171 – 94

  • Tax-exempt Donee Institution: BIR no. 230

Ad Foundation Objectives

  • Promote the industry’s Social Responsibility of the Industry & its Self-Regulation;

  • Promote Values for positive social changes;

  • Encourage Values Advertising within the industry;

  • Promote Philippine culture, Its mores, norms, and traditions; and

  • Assist in nation-building endeavors, of benefit to the well-being of the industry, people & country as well.

On November 7, 2017, the Ad Foundation garnered the prestigious AGORA Awards for Advocacy Marketing as an Organization of the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) held at the Manila Hotel.

Programs of Ad Foundation & The Six (6) Program Committees: 

1. Social Communications:

  • Various multimedia communications campaigns and endeavors on values promotion and advocacy, undertaken by the foundation's Social Communications Unit (SCU).

2. Industry Development:

  • Undertaken by the Industry Development Committee (IDC).
    Covers all projects and activities for immediate, medium, and long-term industry development endeavors for the well-being of the industry.
    Addresses concerns on sustainable self-regulation, upliftment of industry standards of excellence and professionalism, industry unity, welfare of the industry and its members, and, when needed, assistance to deserving individual members of the industry.

3. Educational Development:

  • Embraces projects and activities such as seminars, workshops, and Students’ Congresses or special fora.

  • Conducted in partnership with the academe on advertising, communications, marketing, and its allied fields.

  • Under the auspices of the Educational Development Committee (EDC).

4. Sectoral Outreach:

  • Consists of two areas of concern and undertaking by the Sectoral Outreach Committee (SOC).

    • Voters Education & Empowerment for good citizenship.

    • Environmental Concerns for the protection and preservation of the environment and natural resources, including its flora and fauna.

5. Social Development & Research:

  • Conducts special research and studies, surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), etc., on foundation programs, projects, and other issues of concern.

  • Under the auspices of the Social Development & Research Committee (SDRC).



6. Special Projects:

  • Embraces a number of special undertakings by the Special Projects Committee (SPC).

  • Usually headed by the Ad Foundation Chairman of the Board.

  • Covers a range of endeavors and activities, including:

    • Special campaigns and communication programs on the promotion of Philippine culture.

    • Publication of special books and brochures on the industry.

    • Select partnership endeavors.

    • Trade exhibits.

    • Participation in industry congresses, summits, conferences, conventions, and other fora.


Ad Foundation Admin – Support Working Committees

These well-structured working committees are created as specified in the Ad Foundation By-Laws, geared to assist the foundation Executive Officers and/or the Board of Trustees.

Executive Committee (ExCom):

  • Composed of all elected and appointive officers as well as Program and Admin-support Committees, as designated by the Ad Foundation Chairman of the Board.

  • Serves as the foundation's Management Committee, overseeing the regular operations of the Ad Foundation.

  • Convenes monthly and special meetings as needed.

Membership Committee (MC):

  • Headed by a board member, the Membership Committee Chairman sits as a member of the Ad Foundation Executive Committee (ExCom), as provided by the foundation's By-laws.

  • Takes charge of membership activities, such as the general membership annual meetings and endorsement to the foundation ExCom and/or Board for appropriate action based on the Ad Foundation Membership criteria.

Ways & Means Committee (WMC):

  • Usually headed by a board member, as appointed by the foundation Chairman of the Board.

  • Plans, organizes, and manages all fund-raising projects of the Ad Foundation.

  • Covers special ways & means endeavors geared to generate revenues for the foundation's advocacy projects start-up and operations, as well as for the continued operations and sustainability of the Ad Foundation.

  • Usually seats in the foundation ExCom.

PR, Promotion & Information Committee (PRC):

  • Usually chaired by an Ad Foundation member from the broadcast and print media.

  • Includes select foundation members such as publicists, PR specialists, out-of-home-advertising specialists, skilled digital marketing professionals, social media writers, and select vloggers.

  • Promotes foundation key projects and activities.

Other Working Committees:

  • The foundation ExCom or the Ad Foundation Chairman may create other working committees as the need arises.

The Ad Foundation Chairman of the Board and the Executive Director, concurrently the Assistant Board Secretary, are exofficio or ad hoc members of all foundation Working Committees.