Agenda - PR Asia Philippines 2025

3 SEPTEMBER 2025

8:30am

Networking and registration

8:50am

Opening remarks

9:00am

[Opening session]

Inside the communicator’s journey: Lessons from media, aviation and brand leadership in the Philippines

Hear from Steve Dailisan, AirAsia’s head of communications, former broadcast journalist and commercial pilot, on navigating the evolving intersection of traditional media, corporate communication and public engagement
How a career spanning newsrooms, cockpits, and the communications helm of a highly recognisable brand has shaped a career in building trust; crafting messages that reassure, connect authentically, and inspire confidence
Discover how communications leaders can unite authenticity with authority, tell stories that truly resonate, and lead with values that endure, no matter how the media landscape shifts

Moderator:

A’bidah Zaid Shirbeeni

Senior Journalist

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE

Speaker:

First Officer Steve F Dailisan, MC

Country Head for Communications and Corporate Affairs

AirAsia Philippines

9:40am

[Panel discussion]

Surviving the turbulence: Navigating political shifts, reputation, and risk in an era of polarisation

How PR teams can respond to shifting alliances, leadership tensions, and sudden policy shifts that disrupt stakeholder relationships and corporate strategies in real time.
Walking the tightrope between transparency and liability as brands rapidly adjust messaging to new political dynamics while safeguarding credibility and mitigating legal risks.
The cost of silence versus disclosure as companies navigate crisis communications when companies are blindsided by political flashpoints or a public backlash.

Jeremiah Rodrigues

General Manager

CARMA

Yoly Crisanto

Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communcations Officer

Globe Telecom

Adi Timbol-Hernandez

Assistant Vice President, Corporate Relations and Impact

McDonald’s Philippines

10.15am

Networking break

10.45am

[Case study]

Public trust on trial: How brands can show up when audiences push back

Combating disinformation and digital manipulation with fact-based, platform-specific storytelling, co-signed by well-established relationships with trusted media or community figures.
Addressing rising distrust in corporate narratives by prioritising transparency over spin, and substance over slogans.
How to build engagement strategies that speak to digitally active, values-driven audiences – especially younger audiences influenced by advocacy, cancel culture, and cultural alignment.

11:25am

[Case study]

Crisis in motion: Rewriting reputation management at the speed of the outrage

The surge in demand for dedicated crisis teams as brands face political shifts, public backlashes, and reputational landmines.
Moving beyond rapid-response playbooks to build adaptive frameworks that anticipate rather than react to complex crises.
Understanding that reputation resilience comes not from last-minute responses, but from consistent, values-led messaging, that earns goodwill long before a backlash begins.

11.40am

[Fireside chat]

Influence with intention: Sustaining narratives that go beyond comfort zones and the moment

Pushing the envelope on purpose-led communication to expand conversations around identity, authenticity, and representation
Five lessons on how brands can move beyond seasonal visibility to create inclusive narratives that foster trust, spark self-acceptance, and challenge societal norms
What it means to communicate with courage, intention, and compassion—especially when truth defies convention

Moderator:

A’bidah Zaid Shirbeeni

Senior Journalist

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE

Speaker:

Myke Celis

Celebrity Life Coach and Author

12:10pm

[Panel discussion]

Distorted reality: Balancing AI, human judgment, and public trust

How AI can supercharge communications – from real-time media monitoring to predictive audience insights – but also open the door to misinformation, fake content, and reputational risk.
Why human discernment still matters in understanding context, tone, and values in an era of AI.
How to build frameworks to ensure the responsible use of AI, transparency, and freshness in content creation, and stronger public trust.

Moderator:

Michael Ryan Miranda

Cluster Head for Sustainability and MarComm (Philippines-Indonesia)

DB Schenker

Panellists:

Grace Lyn P. Dar Santos

Head of Corporate Communications

Allianz PNB Life

Oliver Budgen

CEO

Bud

Dan Mejia

Vice President, PR and Media Strategy

SM Retail

12.40pm

Networking lunch

1:40pm

[Case study]

Metrics that matter: Rethinking impact in a community-driven landscape

Balancing traditional metrics with cultural relevance, grassroots connections, and offline ripple effects.
How to track campaign effectiveness across digital forums, offline activations, radio mentions, regional language coverage, and community partnerships.
Benchmarking your performance against your competitors through social sentiments and social listening.

2:10pm

[Panel discussion]

Journalism in flux: Reimagining media collaborations in a new influence landscape

Exploring the evolving role of journalists in an era where audiences expect transparency, speed, and storytelling.
Exploring the evolving definition of newsworthiness in a landscape shaped by audience engagement and social virality.
Why strong, trust-based relationships between journalists and PR professionals are more important in the fight against misinformation.

Moderator:

A’bidah Zaid Shirbeeni

Senior Journalist

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE

Panellists:

Carmina Reyes-Romero

Director for Corporate Communications and Spokesman

Cebu Pacific

Richard Arboleda

Country Communications, Government Affairs, and Market Access Head

GSK Philippines

Teri Flores

Head of Corporate Communications

Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD)

2:45pm

Networking break

3.15pm

[Case study]

Purpose, pressure, and proof: Communicating impact beyond the buzzwords

How PR professionals can align business objectives with advocacy – from climate action and disaster relief to education and equity – in a way that earns public trust.
Moving beyond generic press releases to create dynamic, multimedia content, that showcases the tangible and positive impact of a brand’s initiatives.
Crafting a compelling story about the motivations and intended outcomes of your environmental and social responsibility programmes to build trust with media outlets and consumers.

Caitlin Punzalan

Corporate and Government Affairs Lead

Mondelēz Philippines

3:45pm

[Panel discussion]

Where marketing ends: Why PR still deserves a seat at the table

Explore the strategic distinction between marketing’s transactional focus and PR’s trust-building, crisis-mitigating role.
How PR can move beyond vanity metrics and demonstrate its value through measurable business outcomes and internal alignment.
The growing need for PR teams to act as real-time reputation managers – not just messengers, but advisors at the leadership table.

Moderator: