Alex Eala, Zack Tabudlo, And More Filipino Names Make It To The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List

We're only halfway through the year, yet Filipino talents across sports, music, business, technology, and social impact have already been making major moves globally. And now, these young Filipinos officially made it to this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list out of over 4,000 nominations across the region.

The annual list, now in its 11th edition, recognizes young innovators, creatives, athletes, founders, and changemakers under 30 who are making major moves in their industries. Categories range from entertainment and sports to social impact, technology, retail, healthcare, finance, and more. And considering there were over 4,000 nominations submitted across the Asia-Pacific region, making the final list was definitely not an easy feat.

The selected honorees went through a rigorous screening process led by Forbes Asia editors and reporters, who reviewed online nominations, industry recommendations, and each candidate’s overall impact in their field.

Of course, our girl Alex Eala made the list—and TBH, all we can say is, deserved! 🥳The 21-year-old tennis star has been dominating international courts and made history after reaching World No. 29 in the Women's Tennis Association rankings earlier this year, making her the highest-ranking Filipina tennis player at present. But beyond the wins and titles, Alex continues to prove what we already know—that Filipina athletes can absolutely hold their own on the global courts.

Joining her in the Entertainment and Sports category is Zack Tabudlo, whose songs basically became the soundtrack of heartbreak and late-night overthinking for this generation. The singer-songwriter behind hits like "Pano" and "Give Me Your Forever" became Spotify's most-streamed Filipino artist in 2022. He has since continued to perform for massive audiences, including his recent appearance at the NET25 Summer Blast at the Philippine Arena.

Cosmopolitan Philippines' Women Of Influence awardee Steph Naval landed a spot in the Social Impact category for building a project that addresses real-life needs.

ICYDK, Steph created Empath, a platform that offers counseling and psychiatric support to schools and organizations.

Emmanuel Mirus Ponon, a proud Lasallian, founded the ASEAN Youth Advocates Network, which gives young people across Southeast Asia a seat at the table in conversations on policy, peacebuilding, and sustainability.

Emmanuel stepped down as the organization's chairperson last year, but the value behind what he started remains. With his dedication to strengthening ASEAN ties and highlighting the shared struggles of these communities, the organization now has strong chapters in Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, with thousands of volunteers and beneficiaries.

Saje Miguel Molato is an Atenista who founded Siklab. This youth-centered consulting initiative equips young Filipinos with opportunities in leadership, education, and skills development to help them compete on a more global scale.

The organization also collaborates with various sectors—from nonprofits to government and private partners—on projects involving climate action, community development, entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment, creating spaces where young people can turn their ideas into meaningful work and real-world impact.

Under Retail and eCommerce, Pauline Dizon and Adrian Jumangit were recognized for co-founding FanConSEA, a fandom-led platform that brings merch licensing, fan events, and live pop culture experiences closer to communities across Southeast Asia. It's basically turning the kind of fandom energy we usually see online into real-life spaces where fans can actually connect, meet, and celebrate what they love!

Also in the Retail and eCommerce category are Martin Joaquin Palaña and Kiyanusch Braun, the duo behind GoRocky, a men's health platform that makes conversations about men's health more open and easier to talk about.

They cover everything from everyday concerns like hair loss to more sensitive topics like erectile dysfunction, testosterone levels, and fertility issues in a way that feels less awkward and more approachable.

Pets are basically family, and that's something Kharl Christian Yeung clearly understands. He was recognized for Amico Innovations, a Philippine-based pet food brand under the Consumer and Enterprise Tech category that focuses on more thoughtful, better-quality nutrition for pets. At the heart of it, it's really about giving the care we naturally want for our fur babies!

Brandon Angelo Wong and Raphael Sevilla, together with Paul Soliman, were also recognized for co-founding BayaniChain Tech. Their blockchain company works with both public and private sectors to improve transparency, secure data, and help reduce corruption in systems here in the Philippines.

At this point, technology is no longer just something we use on the side—it's already deeply woven into everyday life. And what they're building shows how it can also be used to make systems more accountable, safer, and a little more trustworthy for everyone.