Great companies attract great talent, and Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has proven for the third year in a row that it’s one of the very best. URC was recently recognized as one of the region’s most exemplary employers at the HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia – Philippines awards, continuing the streak that began when URC was first named one of Asia’s Best Companies to Work for back in 2023. The awards ceremony was held last August 26, 2025 at the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Marriott Hotel, Pasay City.
The HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia awards are organized by Business Media International, one of the region’s leading business-to-business media and event properties. HR Asia is a publication committed to delivering information on best practices and up-to-date global trends to human resources (HR) professionals across Asia. The awards celebrate organizations with exemplary HR practices, employee engagement, and workplace culture in countries where HR Asia is presently distributed, namely Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
In being recognized as one of the best companies in Asia to work for, URC was lauded for its leadership programs that focus on equipping managers with skills to inspire teams, encourage collaboration and adopt agile ways of working.
In photo left to right: Alex Gomez (Manager, Talent Acquisition and Corporate Programs), Reena Tecson (Director, Human Resources – BCFG Philippines), Roland Villareal (Global Head, Learning and Talent Management), Mark Kevin Lanuzo (Officer, HR Solutions), Kristine Perez (Group Manager, HR Operational Excellence), Elisa Abalajon (Chief Human Resources Officer and ATO Lead), Jem Asuncion (Chapter Lead – Agile Coach), John Albert Ampil (Group Manager, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, and Employee Experience) Louisa Tagulinao (Associate, Early Careers and Corporate Communications), and Alyssa A. Alillana (Cluster Director of Human Resources, SMX Convention Center).
The company was also cited for supporting employee growth through learning opportunities, innovation initiatives and cross-functional collaboration, alongside its recognition programs designed to celebrate initiative and engagement.
This recognition comes off the heels of yet another successful year for URC as an employer. The company recently won a Silver Excellence Award in Employer Branding at the 2025 Economic Times Human Capital Awards (ETHCA) Southeast Asia, as well as the Best Recruitment Innovation for Young Talent Award at the TalentView People Insight Awards 2025. URC also won a Silver Excellence Award in AI-Powered HR Solutions and a Bronze Excellence Award in the Use of HR Tech at the HR Excellence Awards 2025.
URC was recently the recipient of three Golden Arrows at the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) Golden Arrow Awards, with the company being recognized for its high standard of corporate governance, transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership. TIME Magazine and business intelligence platform Statista also named URC to their list of the best companies in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025.
URC President & CEO Irwin Lee said that these awards “affirm our dedication to fostering an environment where our people feel valued, empowered and connected to a shared purpose”.
Lee also said this recognition reflects the commitment and passion of its workforce and its goal to continue building a workplace “where people are inspired to lead, empowered to grow, and united by a common purpose.”
In photo left to right: Louisa Tagulinao (Associate, Early Careers and Corporate Communications), John Albert Ampil (Group Manager, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, and Employee Experience), and Datuk William Ng (Chairman and Managing Director of Audience Analytics Limited).
This year’s many accolades highlight why URC has remained one of the region’s best companies to work for, and how employee empowerment leads to astonishing success. URC has rolled out initiatives such as its Comprehensive High-Impact Internship Program, which immerses students in projects guided by mentors, and the NextGen Leaders Program, a management trainee track designed to prepare high-potential graduates for leadership roles.
It also launched #GrowBeyondURDegree and #LaunchURCareer, campaigns that use social media, school partnerships and campus activations to showcase the company’s workplace culture.
With these and other powerful initiatives driving its workforce, URC will most certainly continue to be one of the Philippines’ most respected employers – and may very well continue its winning streak at the HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia awards for many years to come.
Learn more about URC at urc.com.ph.
