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| Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) President Ana Ruby Pista and PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) First Vice President and Head of Public Engagement Group Roby Alampay seal a landmark partnership in Cebu City to upskill Visayan communicators and digital creators. (Image Source: Manila Standard/Public Relations Society Of The Philippines) |
Telco leaders PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) have joined forces with the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) to drive digital transformation, connectivity, and skills development for communication practitioners in the Visayas. The partnership anchors PRSP’s historic return to Cebu City after more than two decades as part of its broader initiative “Steward The Signal: PRSP Goes To Cebu”. As the primary enablers of this regional expansion, PLDT and Smart are actively stewarding the signal of connection, bridging communities, upskilling local talent, and fostering collaboration among communicators outside Metro Manila.
As the flagship context of this partnership, PLDT and Smart are presenting MAKI+FIESTA, a free full-day media festival hosted at Southwestern University PHINMA. The event brings together journalists, communication professionals, content creators, government information officers, educators, and students to champion responsible storytelling, media literacy, and strategic communication. “PLDT and Smart believe that true connectivity goes beyond building infrastructure; it is about empowering the voices that shape our society. By partnering with PRSP for ‘Steward The Signal’, we are committing to upskill regional communicators, students, and digital creators. In an increasingly complex information environment, we want to equip communities with the digital literacy and ethical tools they need to navigate and lead the conversation,” said PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of Public Engagement Group Roby Alampay. PRSP President Ana B. Pista, APR, emphasized that the telcos’ support is vital to making this nationwide expansion sustainable, stating, “Our return to Cebu is about building a lasting ecosystem, and we cannot do that without strong allies who control the digital highways. With PLDT and Smart backing our vision, we are actively closing the gap for professional development, ensuring that practitioners in the Visayas have the tools, networks, and digital capability to thrive globally.” The MAKI+FIESTA festival features an extensive lineup of speakers from media, government, academia, and civil society. Keynote tracks focus heavily on combating disinformation, ethical storytelling in the digital age, and leveraging technology for civic engagement. Featured speakers include Antoinette Taus, Roby Alampay, Voltaire Tupaz, Inday Varona, Prof. Yvonne Chua, Prof. Rachel Khan, Kat de Castro, Emver P. Cortez, Dr. Dante Velasco, Dean Toym Imao, Benjamin Joseph David, Jen Aquino, and John Sitchon.
PRSP Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee Chairman Engelbert Apostol added, “MAKI+FIESTA, powered by PLDT and Smart, is a public service in action. By bringing together students and veterans alike, we are strengthening a communications ecosystem that is more ethical, more collaborative, and deeply responsive to society’s needs.” Beyond the media festival, PLDT and Smart are supporting a suite of milestone activities during the Cebu engagement, the launch of Steward’s Edge: PRSP Professional Development Training – Cebu Leg, and the formalization of new strategic partnerships with local public and private organizations. Together, these initiatives underscore a shared, long-term commitment by PRSP, PLDT, and Smart to build stronger, highly skilled communication communities throughout the Visayas. The PLDT Group is an Anvil Awards Hall of Fame awardee, reflecting its sustained excellence in public relations as recognized by the PRSP.
