Recognizing the Philippines’ dominant role in global social media engagement, iACADEMY on Saturday launched the country’s first Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Management.
The degree is a pioneering program designed to train the next wave of digital entrepreneurs in both creativity and business strategy.
“The digital frontier has exploded. Over 90.8 million Filipinos are online, each with a voice and a platform,” said iACADEMY President and Chief Operating Officer Raquel Perez Wong.
She underscored the new wave of entrepreneurship that digital platforms have created.
“We are seeing the rise of a new kind of entrepreneur — one who starts with a phone and a vision, and builds a brand from scratch,” she said. “Our goal is to give these visionaries the tools to succeed not only creatively, but strategically,” she added.
The degree responds to the accelerating growth of the online economy, where Filipino users spend an average of more than five hours daily on mobile internet, and social media-driven commerce continues to surge.
The launch event was attended by Republic Asia Founder and CEO Bran Reluao and influencer-entrepreneur Richard Juan, among others.
The Digital Media Management program offers a comprehensive curriculum that spans content strategy, platform analytics, digital marketing, ethical media practices, business development, and monetization models.
It aims to train students not only in producing engaging content but also in building sustainable digital businesses.
Unlike conventional business courses, the new degree integrates digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and ethics, equipping students to manage and scale personal brands or corporate digital initiatives, Wong said.
Targeting the emerging generation of “contentpreneurs” and “creatorpreneurs,” the program prepares graduates for careers not only as independent creators but also as digital strategists, brand managers, and content specialists in both private and public sectors.
“Filipino creators are already among the best in the region. What we are doing is strengthening their foundation so they can move beyond viral trends and build lasting, scalable enterprises,” Wong said.
“Recent studies show that 1 in 4 Filipinos aged 16 to 34 now aspire to become full-time content creators. We are one of the most active social media populations globally, and it’s time we start building the foundation for creators to grow with strategy, business acumen, and long-term vision,” added JV Padua, Dean for School of Business and Liberal Arts.
The program, according to Padua, empowers learners to not only produce impactful content but also to understand the economics behind it and turn it into a lifelong career.