Steward the Story: Combatting Falsehoods and Championing Human Trust
Ana Ruby Pista, APR
President, PRSP
Presidential Update – April 2026
Dear Members,
The month of April challenged us to examine the integrity of our information ecosystems. If the start of our term was about defining our shift from reactive PR to proactive accountability, this month forced us to confront the active forces reshaping public trust: widespread misinformation and the rapid integration of artificial intelligence.
Our focus took center stage during our first General Membership Meeting, where we sat down with government leaders to map out real collaborations against fake news. We are clear about our direction. To steward the story means we do not fight fire with fire, nor do we counter fake news with synthetic manipulation. The truth remains our absolute defense.
From our localized student forums to global strategic platforms in Europe, PRSP spent April proving that Filipino communication leadership is not just participating in global conversations; we are guiding them.
Here is how we advanced our mission this April.
April Highlights
- First General Membership Meeting in 2026 (April 14, Palm Grove, Rockwell Center)
Our first GMM for 2026 served as a critical forum on public trust and institutional transparency. Keynote speaker, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave M. Gomez, called for a united front between the government and the communications industry to counter disinformation. We addressed the structural delays that slow down anti-misinformation responses and explored upcoming public reporting platforms. During the meeting, we also unveiled our refreshed PRSP website, rolled out our regional satellite blueprints, and proudly inducted 12 new members into the Society. - AI Will Redefine Who Stays Relevant (April 30, GAETDM 2026 Cap-Off Webinar)
I had the honor of moderating the Global Alliance Cap-off Webinar, “What Works Now: Upskilling for AI-Driven PR, Responsible AI, and Long-Term Trust.” Global experts, including Dr. Karen Sutherland, Dr. Alex Sévigny, Pavel Vlček, Dr. Jude William Genilo, and Kelly Johnston, warned that professionals who fail to adapt risk falling behind as the industry restructures around new workflows. The discussion highlighted that while 91 percent of practitioners use generative AI daily, strategic integration remains the true hurdle. Panelists emphasized that AI is a major trust disruptor, making critical thinking, ethics, and human judgment completely irreplaceable. - Recognition of Filipino Leadership on the Global Stage (April 16, Brussels, Belgium)
PRSP’s impact reached a historic milestone at the inaugural Strategic Global Awards. I was deeply honored to receive the Strategic Communication Leader of the Year Award from the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence. As the first Filipino recipient of this global distinction, the recognition also belongs to our entire community. It underscores the growing influence of Filipino communicators in managing culturally intelligent, evidence-based communication frameworks globally. - Academic Research Partnership with San Beda University (April 23, Solaire Resort North)
We formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with San Beda University’s Marketing Lab to launch “A Structural Audit of the Mismatch between Academic Foundations and Professional PR Practice in the Philippines.” The research team has already completed three focus group discussions with key industry leaders from PRSP, IABC, and IPRA. The final white paper will be presented at the 33rd National PR Congress to align communication education with operational demands of agencies. - Responsible AI Learning Session (April 6, San Beda University)
PRSP served as the knowledge partner for the San Beda Junior Marketing Association learning session, “Re-AI-lity Check: Truth Behind the Prompt.” Key industry leaders, including Yolly Crisanto, APR, Norman Agatep, APR, and Ed Timbungco, APR, engaged with students from various universities on the ethics of synthetic content. The panel pushed for full disclosure in AI-assisted outputs and stressed the necessity of authenticity in a landscape increasingly driven by algorithms. - Unpacking Brand Relevance at Market(In)Sights (April 24, Marquis Events Place, BGC)
To represent PRSP, I participated heavily in the 2026 Market(In)Sights conference, diving into consumer behavior trends during economic stress. In a panel, we analyzed the new “split-wallet” reality, where Filipino consumers practice strict nonessential cutbacks while selectively overconsuming brands that offer a high emotional return on investment (eROI). The insights highlighted a clear shift from status-seeking to self-soothing, proving that brand survival today requires deep trust, community targeting, and authentic representation of Gen Z and the aging population. - Global Alliance AI Kick-Off Webinar (April 16, Zoom)
PRSP Vice President for Internal Affairs Norman Agatep, APR, moderated the global kick-off webinar for the Global Alliance’s Education, Training, and Development Month. The session, “What We Must Teach Now: Future-Ready PR and Communication Skills for the AI Era,” gathered international educators and practitioners to establish global benchmarks for responsibility and curriculum tools in automated environments. - Contract-Signing for Flagship Event Operations (April 23, Solaire Resort North)
We formalized our venue partnership with Solaire Resort North to host our upcoming landmark events. The venue will host the 33rd National PR Congress this September under the theme, “Steward the Story, From Clout to Legacy,” followed by the 62nd Anvil Awards in January 2027. - Professional Development Alignment with the DFA (April 27, DoubleDragon Plaza)
We established strategic alignments with the Department of Foreign Affairs. This partnership focuses on future capability-building initiatives and professional development collaborations for communication professionals within the public sector.
Incoming Initiatives and Next Steps
- PRSP Academy Module Finalization
Our professional development committee is entering the final review stage for the initial training tracks of the PRSP Academy, preparing for our first industry rollout. - Regional Satellite Activation
Operational meetings are scheduled throughout May to finalize the deployment frameworks for our regional network expansions in Visayas and Mindanao. - Governance and Compliance Audits
The board is moving forward with internal updates regarding institutional assets and ongoing contractor reviews to ensure strict structural transparency.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our collective vision. By demanding truth in our daily work, we ensure that the stories we steward protect the public interest.
Yours sincerely,
Ana Ruby Pista, APR
President, 2026–2027
Public Relations Society of the Philippines