3 SEPTEMBER 2025
8:30am
Networking and registration
8:50am
Opening remarks
9:00am
[Opening session]
Truth or tactic? Balancing influence, public perception, and social change in the Philippines
- The world isn’t just consuming narratives – it’s creating them at scale. AI, social journalism, and misinformation blur truth and fiction, pushing PR to stay relevant.
- Authenticity is in demand, yet manipulation is stronger than ever. In a world where trust is currency and perception is reality, silence isn’t an option.
- PR isn’t just messaging – it’s the backbone of credibility in an era where misinformation is a strategy, not a mistake.
9:45am
[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.
10.15am
[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.
10.45am
Networking break
11:15am
[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.
11.30am
[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
12:00pm
[Case study]
Fighting forum firestorms: Managing sentiment, misinformation, and stakeholders
- Why PR teams must treat forums and comment sections as early warning systems for risk, misinformation, and shifting narratives.
- The rise of AI-generated content and partial truths – and how comms teams must step in where data alone can’t.
- Building agile, real-time crisis management systems that go beyond monitoring to a meaningful and culturally aware response.
12.15pm
[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.
12:45pm
Networking lunch
1:45pm
[Fireside chat]
Truth with a following: Who's afraid of the new influencers on the block?
- The evolving role of influencers as public figures, educators, and in some cases, perceived sources of truth.
- Whether traditional media and influencers can coexist – or are they competing for the same kind of public influence?
- What credibility means when communications are now defined by either personality and/or institutional authority.
2.25pm
[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.
2:55pm
[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.
3.25pm
Networking break
3.55pm
[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.
4.25pm
[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.
4.30pm
Closing remarks
4.40pm