PPI re-elected chair tells members to re-tool

Manila Standard publisher Rolando Estabillo has been re-elected chairman and president of the Philippine Press Institute, also known as the national association of newspapers in the country, during its annual membership meeting on April 24 at Citadines Hotel in Pasay City.

Representatives from member-publications from Mindanao, Visayas, Luzon, and Metro Manila, renewed their trust and confidence in Estabillo’s leadership through unanimous votes.

Also re-elected members of the board to serve for another two years were trustee for Mindanao Amalia Cabusao from Davao City as vice-chair and trustee for Luzon Joenald Rayos from Batangas City as treasurer.

Other elected members of the board were trustees for the Visayas Atty. Reuvivar Reyes from Southern Leyte as secretary, Dexter See from Baguio City, Francis Allan Angelo from Iloilo City, Antonette Amatong-Ruiz from Dipolog City, Juliet Javellana-Labog from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and representatives from The Philippine Star, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Journal Group of Publications, and Malaya Business Insight. Joyce Pañares is still seminar director.

Estabillo challenged the PPI members to retool.

“I suggest we start to rethink our vision in the face of new realities. What is happening around us should nudge us to look at new orientations. Maybe our present business model doesn’t work anymore. Maybe we are in denial and just managing decline. More likely we need to embrace change and accept the future of journalism: New skills, old values.”

For the first time in 20 years, after he left his post as executive director, Ermin Garcia Jr, editor and publisher of Dagupan-based Sunday Punch, commended the PPI secretariat led by executive director and trustee Ariel Sebellino for leveling up the conduct of the institute’s activities and programs.

In his annual report, Sebellino announced that PPI conducted trailblazing and groundbreaking activities during the pandemic that were supported by institutional partners Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC).

“Podcasts, online roundtable discussions, journalism research studies, the news aggregating website www.ppinewscommons.net and digitalization of community newspapers to name a few, were unique programs that haven’t been done by PPI before.”

The PPI will celebrate its 60 years in 2024.