TSU CommGuild joins UST’s PMAC 2025, embraces media ethics and innovation

Report and Photos by Angilene Dableo

Delegates from Tarlac State University (TSU) proudly represented their campus at the Philippine Media Advocacy Conference (PMAC) 2025, last April 12, 2025 (SATURDAY), held at the Exhibit Hall of the Beato Angelico Building, University of Santo Tomas, Manila.

Among the attendees from TSU were students under the Department of Communication, namely Romer Madrid, President of the Communicators’ Guild (CommGuild), Heleina Anjela Quesada, Journalism Team Head; Ricky Boy Eslabra, Assistant Journalism Team Head; Jose Conrado Simon, Executive on Records; John Aris Gabriel, Executive on Audit; and Angilene Dableo, Editor-in-Chief of The Oracle, together with CommGuild Co-Adviser, Mr. Derich Bognot.

Themed “Maximizing Media, Building Connections,” the annual conference brought together students and professionals to discuss pressing issues and developments in the media industry.

The program opened with a message from Asst. Prof. Anna Cielo Perez, MA, PMAC Faculty Adviser, who traced the roots of the conference from its 2013 beginnings as "Podcasting" or "PodCon," highlighting its transformation into today’s media advocacy platform.

Ms. Flordeliz L. Abanto of Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) delivered a talk titled "Digital Age’s Valuable Currency," diving into the concept of the attention economy, where human attention is treated as a limited and highly valuable commodity. She also led an interactive preferential survey highlighting the statistics of media users’ daily activity.

Moreover, Atty. Cheryl S. Adami-Molina shed light on ethical broadcasting practices in her talk, “Ethical Standards in Philippine Broadcasting.” She emphasized journalistic integrity, the importance of fair reporting, and the ethical implications of naming individuals in public reports. Her discussion also featured an engaging guessing game involving popular radio and TV station network names and taglines, sparking interest and awareness about branding in the broadcast industry.

The event also highlighted performances from Musikasa and Casa Footworks during the intermission, showcasing the vibrant artistic side of media-related gatherings.

Meanwhile, in an interview, CommGuild President Madrid shared his thoughts about the experience and reflected on his deep sense of pride, enthusiasm, and purpose in representing not just the organization but also the university at PMAC 2024.

"To be honest, isa ito sa ni-look forward ko as the President of TSU Communicators' Guild. Nung time na nag-send ng year-long partnership ang CASA, which is the recognized organization of Communication Students from the University of Santo Tomas, I grabbed the opportunity,” Romer said.

“Representing the university in this kind of conference is such an honor and an incredibly rewarding experience. It brings pride as a communication student because we are not only attending a conference—we are contributing knowledge while learning with those experts in the field of media and communication. In addition, this offers a platform to strengthen connections from different universities across the Philippines, gain new insights, and enhance individual growth,” he added.

The PMAC 2024 served as a learning ground for future media practitioners to the TSU delegates, equipping them with a deeper understanding of media responsibility, audience engagement, and professional ethics in journalism and broadcasting.