By: Joe-el S. Marcelo

The University of the Cordilleras College of Business Administration proudly congratulates Mr. John Carlo B. De Leon, faculty member of the College of Business Administration, for ranking Top 1 in the Certified Marketing Management Specialist (CMMS) Examination held on January 17, 2026.

With an outstanding score of 92.08%, Mr. De Leon emerged as the highest scorer among candidates in Batch 16 of the CMMS program. This achievement is particularly remarkable as Mr. De Leon, who is also a Certified Financial Management Specialist (CFMS), proved that business expertise knows no bounds. Administered by the Center for Professional Advancement and Continuing Education (CPACE Philippines), the exam challenged professionals to master the full spectrum of marketing, from digital strategy to consumer behavior.

Mr. De Leon has been instrumental in shaping business education at UC, inspiring students through both theory and practice. His success on the CMMS exam reinforces the university’s commitment to producing globally competitive professionals and thought leaders in the field of business.

In an exclusive interview, Mr. De Leon shared his journey to the top:

• On the Surprise Win: “I was surprised… my real intention was only to measure my level of knowledge, considering my background is more inclined to Financial Management. Passing both the CFMS and CMMS validates my competency and confidence in both Finance and Marketing.”
• The Challenge of Mastery: He noted that the true difficulty lay in the breadth of the exam: “The challenge was recalling all concepts, theories, and applications learned over the course of college, unlike a classroom setup where coverage is limited to midterm or finals topics.”
• Bringing it Back to the Classroom: For Mr. De Leon, this win confirms that UC CBA is on the right track. “These certifications gave me confirmation that our programs are at par with current industry trends. It reminds us educators to provide a higher level of analytical skills to our students, as these are what the industry measures.”

His message to our CBA students? “Take the certification exams! It gives you an edge and confidence in the employment market and provides true feedback on the knowledge you’ve gained during your stay at the University.”

Congratulations, Mr. De Leon! Your success is UC’s pride.

SDG Alignment

• Goal 4: Quality Education – Indicator 4.3.3: Vocational training events (lifelong learning). This achievement highlights UC’s commitment to high-level professional certification and the continuous upskilling of faculty to ensure industry-standard education.
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Indicator 8.2.1: Employment practice. By fostering a culture of national certification, the university ensures its educators possess the validated competencies necessary to produce a workforce ready for the global economy.

Photo and Layout by: Mr. Gabriel R. De Guzman

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