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| (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
ABS-CBN, the premiere media and entertainment company in the Philippines, brought together the country's media experts to provide knowledge and inspiration to about 1,000 college students from at least 64 schools nationwide for the two-day Pinoy Media Congress 2025 held last April 24-25, 2025 at the University of Makati. Launched in 2005, the annual event has been recognized in the Philippine Quill Awards given by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines and the Anvil Awards given by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP). Now on its 20th year, the two-day Kapamilya media congress for students was attended by ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez, president Carlo Katigbak, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Cory Vidanes, Head of Corporate Communications Kane Errol Choa, Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE) president Mark Lester Chico, and University of Makati president Elyxzur Ramos.
“Today, our dream is no longer to be a TV station. Our dream is to be a storyteller that tells our stories to a global audience. Yes, we still want our stories to matter to the Filipino because that is a fundamental part of our mission of service. But we also want our stories to mean something to people from all countries, from all over the world. We dream of making the Filipino shine on the world stage. We want to show everyone the incredible talent of the Filipino — be it in writing stories, in acting and performing, in music, in directing and in producing,” said Katigbak in his opening remarks. Communication students who aspire to pursue a career in the media industry gained knowledge and best practices from ABS-CBN executives and personalities including ABS-CBN News head Francis Toral; ABS-CBN Music and Integrated Events head Roxy Liquigan; ABS-CBN Films head Kriz Gazmen; former ABS-CBN Film Restoration head Leo Katigbak; Metro group head Christina Lopez; Star Magic host-actress Melai Cantiveros-Francisco; Dreamscape Entertainment business unit head Erick Salud; Music Creatives, Content, and Operations head Jonathan Manalo, Star Cinema creative head Carmi Raymundo; iWant and integrated digital sales head Jolly Estaris; Metro Magazine and Metro.Style editor-in-chief Geolette Esguerra; broadcast journalist Michael Delizo; radio anchors Amy Perez and Winnie Cordero; and Knowledge Channel Platforms and Partnerships head Dani Sedilla-Cruz. FEU vice president for corporate affairs Wen Reyes and Kantar Media managing director Jay Bautista also shared their knowledge in PR and the current media landscape in the country respectively.
The students were treated to energizing surprise performances from “Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11” including Fyang Smith, Rain Celmar, Kolette Madelo, Kai Montinola, Binsoy Namoca, Dingdong Bahan, Dylan Yturralde, Jas Dudley-Scales, Jarren Garcia, Jan Silva, JP Cabrera, Kai Montinola, Kanata Tapia, Kolette Madelo, Marc Nanninga Jr., Patrick Ramirez, and Therese Villamor, Ppop groups BGYO and 1621, Kapamilya stars Anji Salvacion and Gelo Rivera, and up-and-coming singer Jarea. MYX VJs Jarren Garcia, Samm Alvero, Robbie Jaworski, Eya Almamari, and Kring Prologo also graced the event to quiz the students and give away prizes. The Pinoy Media Congress 2025 also features the announcement of the top three student documentaries in the “Class Project Intercollegiate Mini-Documentary Competition 2025”, a part of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI), PACE, and ABS-CBN’s shared mission to cultivate young talents in filmmaking and storytelling. By giving students a platform to tell real-world stories, the initiative empowers them to make meaningful contributions to society through media.
“Para Kay Bhie”, a powerful story of hope and courage about a young child from the LGBTQ+ community who endured sexual abuse and discrimination created by student filmmakers from the National University - Dasmariñas, won the top prize. This documentary chronicles the emotional journey of a young child from the LGBTQ+ community as he battles prejudice and trauma while finding the strength to embrace his identity and live authentically. Joining the top three winners are "Ilaw" by La Verdad College Caloocan, which portrays a mother’s tireless dedication to supporting her child with special needs, and "Uhap" by the University of Makati, which sheds light on efforts to preserve the endangered Ayta Magbukun language in Bataan. These will be seen on “Class Project Winners’ Festival”, airing all Saturdays and Sundays of May 2025 at 6:00 pm on Knowledge Channel on pay TV, digital free TV via BEAM TV, and online streaming via iWantTFC. Viewers can also catch five other finalists showcasing diverse Filipino stories: "Bayanihan" by Laguna State Polytechnic University - Sta. Cruz Campus, "Bibihira" by La Verdad Christian College of Apalit Inc., "Daluyong" by the University of Makati, "Talipâng Hakbang" by Laguna State Polytechnic University - Sta. Cruz Campus, and "Where Feet May Fail" by Palompon Institute of Technology. These will be available on Knowledge Channel's official website for a limited time only.
