CABE studs seize grand-finals spot in ASEAN Inter-Varsity Retail Challenge

Frances Layne Madriga

The Collegiate Immaculate
2 min readMar 22, 2021

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Harnessing the future world of retail amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Jareen Tan, Claire Bajao, and Edrian Abad from the College of Accountancy and Business Administration (CABE) of the University of the Immaculate Conception secured a spot as grand-finalists in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Varsity Retail Challenge on March 18, 2021, via Zoom.

The virtual event was initiated by the Retail Centre of Excellence (RCoE) of the Singapore Management University (SMU), encouraging the young entrepreneurs to test their marketing potentials and hone their skills in creating creative and innovative entrepreneurial strategies in this new age of marketing. Also, the event aims to help improve the economy through the advancement of the commerce and retail industry. Students from Southeast Asia institutions took part in this challenge with valor and determination in designing more entrepreneurial innovations.

“This activity heightens my goal to gain more knowledge about the retail industry and learn to craft effective business strategies in the future that will help businesses thrive even undergoing hard times like the pandemic,” replied Bajao as she elucidated her perspectives about the marketing competition.

Recalling the experiences they went through during the preliminary and semi-finals of the competition, the CABE representatives shared their utmost preparations in accepting the challenge of formulating commercial inventions to meet consumer’s needs and demands despite the current situation.

“We spent a lot of time researching the performance of the top retail companies here in the Philippines. We made sure our chosen company is thriving despite the pandemic, and their innovation in retail is different from their competitors,” Tan said during an interview.

Abad, the team leader, highlighted how they handle things as preparation for the retail competition’s upcoming grand-finals.

“Making necessary adjustments to our presentation and deliverable in order to match what is expected in the final rounds. Every round has a new and specific challenge that is why we constantly change and improve what we will be submitting and presenting to the judges,” he added.

The grand finals of the ASEAN Inter-Varsity Retail Challenge will be held on March 27, 2021, via Zoom, and participants are expected to submit their entries on March 25, 2021.

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The Collegiate Immaculate
The Collegiate Immaculate

Written by The Collegiate Immaculate

The Official Student Publication of the University of the Immaculate Conception