If marketing once played a supporting role in banking, 2026 suggests it is ready for top billing.
The Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines has named its new officers and board of trustees, assembling senior marketing and corporate affairs leaders from many of the country’s biggest financial institutions.
For a group founded in 1974, the energy feels distinctly modern.
Elected president is Catherine P. Santamaria, senior vice president and chief customer and marketing officer at the Bank of the Philippine Islands. She is joined by Aileen Marie A. Vallesteros of China Banking Corporation as vice president, Judith C. Songlingco of Philippine Business Bank as secretary, Jean Valen W. Yu of RCBC as treasurer, and Edelyn H. Castro of Maybank Philippines, Inc. as auditor.
The 2026 Board of Trustees brings in representatives from Standard Chartered Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, Philippine National Bank, GoTyme Banking Corporation, CSBank and Avanza, Inc. The mix pairs established giants with digital upstarts, a reminder that today’s banking conversation happens as much on smartphones as in boardrooms.
BMAP’s mandate remains clear. As a non stock, non profit organization, it exists to advance the practice of bank marketing through collaboration, professional development and higher standards across the financial services sector. What has changed is the weight marketing now carries. In an age of hyper informed customers and relentless fintech competition, marketing shapes not just campaigns but customer journeys, product design and even corporate strategy.
Santamaria has signaled a focus on deeper collaboration and sharper strategic thinking among members. The goal is simple and ambitious at once. Make marketing a driver of engagement, innovation and growth rather than a glossy afterthought.
For Philippine banks navigating rapid change, BMAP’s new leadership makes one thing clear. The storytellers are ready to help write the industry’s next chapter.
