Journalists and media executives came together to champion media literacy for future industry practitioners, teaching the students how to spot fake news, fact-check the elections, and emphasize the core principles of journalism at the Pinoy Media Congress Year 13 mounted by ABS-CBN and the Philippine Association for Communication Educators (PACE) recently.
 
Students and professors from all over the Philippines listened to ABS-CBN head of news and current affairs Ging Reyes, broadcast journalists Karen Davila, Chiara Zambrano, Migs Bustos, ABS-CBN News head of Futures, Practices, and Standards Chi Almario-Gonzalez,  and ABS-CBN News public service head Rowena Paraan talk about various issues, practices, and learnings in the Philippine news media industry.
 
Ging and Chi talked about the importance of a discerning and critical eye for information amidst digital technology and social media, while staying true to the standards and ethics that ABS-CBN News continues to live by.
 
“Ensuring accuracy, accountability and transparency, independence, and having a strong sense of public responsibility set us apart from those without the necessary experience, training, and background,” Ging said.
 
Meanwhile, Karen talked about how fake news and social media can affect the way we perceive and receive information, and the impact this has on society today. She reminded students to be responsible, accountable, and truthful when engaging in and sharing content, especially news stories, online. 
 
Rowena stressed the importance of fact-checking anything you see online, especially during election season. “Verification is the essence of journalism. It’s a necessary skill for everyone, not just professionals and journalists,” she said.
 
Chiara on the other hand shared her experiences covering the war and conflict beats and the Marawi conflict, which she told through various platforms including TV, digital, and social media. She reminded students of their main duty to bring information to the public.
 
“There are many ways to tell a story. You’re still a journalist, whatever kind of platform you choose to use, and at the end of the day, your main obligation is to tell the truth to the people,” she said.
 
In a forum on multiplatform journalists, Chiara, Preen.ph managing editor Jacque de Borja, Youngstar.ph editor Gaby Gloria, and Migs also discussed with students the various skills needed to be a journalist today and the new challenges brought about by media’s digital shift.
 
UP College of Mass Communications professor Rosel San Pascual also shared the results of her study that showed how civility in online discussions affects netizens’ engagement, while Mark Yambot of ABS-CBN Books showed that print media is in fact, thriving in the book industry in his presentation on the evolving art of storytelling.
 
Meanwhile, Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. president and co-founder Rina Lopez-Bautista also shared how media has been and can be used for social good. ABS-CBN Lingkod Foundation Inc. chair and iLove Foundation founder Gina Lopez also inspired the delegates to spark change, starting with themselves and their communities, as she spoke about her Quest for Love project.
 
The media congress took place on March 7 and 8 at the College of Holy Spirit Manila and University of San Agustin in Iloilo City through an interactive live broadcast and was hosted by Gretchen Ho on the first day.
 
The yearly media conference, which has served over 10,000 students since its launch, brings together leading media practitioners, subject matter experts, communication professors, and students to help students gain a critical understanding of media and help them prepare them for a career in the industry.