The Journalism Studies Association of the Philippines (JSAP) conferred its highest distinction on veteran journalism educator Ben Domingo Jr. during the JSAP National Conference 2025, held on Dec. 9 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Manila.
In his honorary membership citation, Domingo was recognized for his exemplary contributions to journalism education and community-based media practice. A former chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education’s Technical Committee for Journalism, he helped shape national standards and quality assurance frameworks for journalism programs nationwide from 2011 to 2017.
Domingo has taught journalism, communication, and development communication at PUP, the University of the Philippines Diliman, and Central Luzon State University. Domingo is acknowledged as the “Father of Barefoot Journalism” (“Peryodistang Yapak”) for pioneering a grassroots-oriented, community-based approach to journalism education and practice.
Beyond academia, Domingo has also built a distinguished career in sports and sports media, becoming the first Filipino Accredited International Referee of the International Badminton Federation (now the Badminton World Federation) in 1997 and the first Filipino Certified International Referee of the Asian Badminton Confederation in 2004. His media work includes serving as a feature writer for World Badminton Magazine (London), a long-time sports columnist, a sportscaster for PTV4/RPN9/IBC13, and director for media relations of the Philippine Badminton Association.
Previous recipients of the award were communication scholar Dr. Crispin Maslog (2022) and Dr. Georgina Encanto (2023), former dean of the UP College of Mass Communication.
This year’s JSAP conference, themed “Journalism for a Sustainable Future: Reporting the SDGs, Uncovering the Challenges,” gathered 500 journalism educators, student-researchers, and media practitioners for plenary discussions, parallel paper presentations, and breakout sessions on journalism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), community storytelling, A.I. and newsroom ethics, democracy and disinformation, environmental reporting, and digital disruptions affecting news production and trust.
The Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (PCP) held a special breakout session—Parallel Session on Photo Essays, with the theme “Visualizing the SDGs: Perspectives of Student Journalists in Photo Essays.” The special session featured Jimmy Domingo, JSAP trustee and safety officer; AC Dimatatac, photojournalist, lecturer, and visual storyteller; and Ramon Jose, PCP Safety Expert. In its own breakout session, PressOne.PH tackled the growing threat of digital manipulation and foreign influence operations in the special breakout session on digital investigation.
JSAP President Felipe Salvosa II announced that the University of the Philippines Diliman will host the JSAP National Conference 2026, underscoring the university’s longstanding leadership in communication scholarship and journalism education in the country.
UP College of Media and Communication Associate Dean Lucia Tangi formally accepted the hosting of the 2026 conference during the closing rites at PUP Bulwagang Balagtas.
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