Mark your calendars as the Journalism Studies Association of the Philippines (JSAP) National Conference 2025 gathers the country’s brightest young journalists, scholars, and media practitioners for a landmark event dedicated to exploring journalism’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Happening on December 9, 2025, at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Bulwagang Balagtas, this year’s conference carries the theme: “Journalism for a Sustainable Future: Reporting the SDGs, Uncovering the Challenges.”
The conference offers a full day of reflection, exchange, and inspiration, highlighting how journalism can drive accountability, awareness, and meaningful action toward sustainable development. Student journalists, educators, and communication professionals nationwide are set to participate in plenary sessions, research presentations, and discussions on the nation’s most urgent issues.
Exceptional Keynote and Plenary Speakers
JSAP 2025 will feature a distinguished roster of speakers addressing critical issues in journalism and sustainable development. This year’s event will be gracefully led by keynote speaker Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez, who will set the tone for discussions on the media’s role in nation-building and promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As for the plenary speakers, Dr. Roland Tolentino, fictionist, cultural critic, and former UP CMC Dean; Ms. Joyce Pañares, managing editor of the Manila Standard and UPCMC Glory Awardee; Mr. Jiggy Manicad, award-winning broadcast journalist and documentarist; and Ms. Pia Ranada, Rappler senior reporter, McLuhan Fellow, and investigative journalist.
Collectively, their discussions will traverse the SDGs, investigative journalism, corruption, climate and health challenges, disaster communication, and global influence operations. Through their combined expertise, JSAP 2025 aims to empower young journalists to report with integrity, depth, and a renewed commitment to sustainable and responsible storytelling.
Parallel Sessions: Student Research Presentations
This year’s conference features student-researchers from across the country presenting groundbreaking studies on Philippine journalism’s current landscape from disinformation and ideological battles to environmental crises and geopolitical tensions.
Bringing together student-researchers from across the nation as they spotlight timely, forward-looking studies on the evolving landscape of Philippine journalism — from community engagement and environmental accountability to journalist safety, media literacy, and ethics — all aimed at shaping sustainable, resilient, and future-ready newsrooms.
The conference will also feature parallel sessions exploring diverse aspects of journalism. Parallel Session A – Democracy, Conflict, and Disinformation examines the frames and ideologies shaping Philippine journalism, including territorial sovereignty and global influence operations in political and humanitarian crises. Parallel Session B – Community, Environment, and Ethical Practice highlights efforts toward sustainable and safe newsrooms. Parallel Session C – Digital Disruptions and the Future of News focuses on AI, social media algorithms, virality, and audience trust.
Featured Organizations: Photographers’ Center of the Philippines (PCP) and PressOne.Ph
The Photographers’ Center of the Philippines (PCP) takes an important role in shaping young visual journalists through its special breakout session—Parallel Session on Photo Essays, with the theme “Visualizing the SDGs: Perspectives of Student Journalists in Photo Essays”. This special session features AC Dimatatac, photojournalist, lecturer, and visual storyteller. She will lead an in-depth discussion on how photo essays can champion SDG issues, strengthen community storytelling, and challenge visual narratives in the age of misinformation. Dimatatac will also share techniques on ethical documentation, human-centered storytelling, and the impact of photojournalism in shaping public consciousness.
In partnership with PressOne.PH, another key breakout session will tackle the growing threat of digital manipulation and foreign influence operations—Parallel session on Digital Investigation. With the theme “Battles Beyond the Sea: Investigating Influence Operations and Digital Warfare in the Philippines”, the session will be headed by Nikko A. Balbedina III, John Hurt Allauigan, and Leigh Jenessen San Diego.
This session will decode the unseen battles taking place in the digital sphere—how influence networks are engineered, how narratives are weaponized, and how journalists guard the truth with courage and clarity. The discussion emphasizes the urgent role of young journalists in countering digital deception and safeguarding democratic discourse.
A National Gathering of Impactful Journalism
The JSAP National Conference 2025 reinvites the community of journalists, storytellers, and media scholars to reflect on the past, engage with the present, and envision a sustainable future. Participants can expect a day of insightful discussions, compelling research, and powerful calls to action—redefining what it means to report for impact, relevance, and transformation.
See you on December 9 at the PUP Bulwagang Balagtas!
Together, we shape a sustainable, inclusive, and accountable future for Philippine journalism.
For full details on these sessions and the complete event program, visit the PUP Journalism Guild Social Media accounts, PUP Website, and you can email the Department of Journalism office through:
PUP Journalism Guild Social Media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pupjournguild/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pupjournguild/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/pupjournguild
PUP Website: https://www.pup.edu.ph/
PUP COC – Department of Journalism Office: pupcoc.doj@gmail.com
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