9 September 2026
8:30am
Networking and registration
8:50am
Opening remarks
9:00am
[Opening fireside]
Truth, trust, and turbulence: Confronting the Philippines’ credibility reckoning
- As trust in institutions, politics, and traditional power structures face growing scrutiny, what does this mean for brands, media, and communicators?
- Understanding how credibility is being reshaped as traditional media, creators, communities, and algorithms all compete to shape narratives.
- Safeguarding truth and working alongside institutions and society as AI blurs the boundaries between verified information, opinion, and fabrication.
9:45am
[Case study]
Signal over noise: Media monitoring in a misinformation era
- Narratives now spread rapidly across media, social platforms, and closed networks.
- Detecting and addressing false claims early through smarter monitoring, community listening, and proactive storytelling.
- Strengthening brand authority through transparent and coordinated messaging across public and private channels.
10:15am
[Panel discussion]
Beyond the press release: Structuring brand comms for the age of AI
- Navigating zero-click ecosystems where AI curates answers; and structuring content for clarity, attribution, and machine readability.
- Building authority through credible ecosystems of earned media, expert voices, and independent validation that AI systems can reference.
- Balancing AI optimisation with human resonance, ensuring communications remain authentic, culturally relevant, and grounded in real experiences.
10:45am
Networking break
11:15am
Power Hour
Across the next 60 minutes, three experts will share short sharp talks on key issues affecting communications professionals today.
[Case study] From headlines to handles: Rethinking media relations in a creator-led economy
- Rebalancing earned, owned, and paid strategies when budgets are tight, as competing through paid influence isn’t always viable.
- Navigating creator partnerships that now drive visibility and credibility alongside traditional media.
- Redefining who shapes the public narrative as the roles of creators, brands, company spokespersons, and media increasingly intersect.
[Case study] Reinventing legacy: Aligning leadership, strategy, and narrative for organisational transformation
- Aligning internal and external communications with leadership direction and transformation efforts to build credibility and reduce scepticism.
- Preserving legacy strengths while adapting narratives to shifting market dynamics and evolving stakeholder expectations.
- Mobilising employees, investors, brand partners, and consumer advocates to build understanding, acceptance, and momentum.
[Case study] Lean, mean, fighting machines: PR strategies for limited budgets and resources
- Cultivating connections with niche journalists, bloggers, and influencers to secure meaningful coverage without relying on large budgets.
- Leveraging partnerships through co-branded campaigns, cross-promotions, and shared activations to extend reach and amplify visibility.
- Tracking website traffic, social engagement, and backlinks to prove impact and unlock greater C-suite support and future investment.
12:15pm
[Panel discussion]
Navigating geopolitical pressures, polarity, and insular mindsets
- Assessing when to take a public stance, when to remain neutral, and how even silence can be interpreted in a highly reactive environment.
- Balancing positioning with local political sensitivities, regulatory expectations, and cultural nuances.
- Responding to consumer activism, digital pile-ons, and narrative escalations before they evolve into reputational or regulatory crises.
12:45pm
Networking lunch
1:45pm
[Case study]
Where insights meet action: Turning audience intelligence into community engagement
- Connecting insights across regions to design outreach strategies that are locally relevant, culturally nuanced, and grounded in real understandings.
- Leveraging social listening to inform offline activations, while integrating on-ground insights back into digital strategies.
- Tracking conversations, shares, and sentiment across fragmented digital ecosystems to uncover hidden, influential, community-driven narratives.
2:45pm
Networking break
3.15pm
[Case study]
Show me the impact! Turning sustainability communications into meaningful societal outcomes
- Moving from sustainability claims to proof, demonstrating measurable environmental and social impact.
- Driving cross-sector collaborations with governments, NGOs, and communities to deliver meaningful and long-term outcomes.
- Translating sustainability efforts into credible and transparent narratives that build trust and stand up to scrutiny.
3:45pm
[Panel discussion]
Earning its seat: How can PR prove its strategic value in a new attention economy?
- Moving beyond vanity metrics to redefine what PR success looks like in an increasingly fragmented and AI-driven attention economy.
- Building stronger measurement frameworks that link PR efforts to organisational priorities alongside marketing, brand, and leadership teams.
- How PR professionals are evolving into real-time reputation strategists and trusted counsel to CEOs; and guiding organisations through crises, rising expectations, and key moments.
4.15pm
Closing remarks
4.30pm