The Philippine Press Institute (PPI) has been around for 58 years, a testament to the organization’s commitment to its two core missions: that of protecting press freedom and elevating journalistic ethics among its member-newspapers.
PPI is the country’s national association of newspapers and is regarded as the nation’s oldest professional media organization.
A non-stock, non-profit private organization that is officially registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, having been established in 1964 and again revived in 1987, after it became dormant throughout the period of martial rule (1972 – 1986).
History
On July 3, 1986, the reorganized Board of Governors held its first meeting. This is seen as the official mark of the institute’s comeback. In accordance with the rules of the Philippines, it was incorporated on June 8, 1987.
Chairman, PPI and Publisher,
Manila Standard
The PPI is responsible for representing the concerns and interests of the newspaper industry in all fora and across the media while promoting ethical standards for the growth of professional Filipino journalists.
The vast majority of the country’s most influential provincial, national, and daily and weekly newspapers are members of this organization.
Trustee for Mindanao, Mindanao Times
The institution works to protect the rights and freedoms of Filipino journalists as they do their jobs. It also creates and spreads information about opportunities for journalists to improve their careers and runs training programs and educational activities for journalists in the country.
This institution is overseen by a board of trustees that gets together once every three months to discuss business. All member newspapers’ publishers and editors are eligible to run for election to the board each year.
Corporate Secretary, Herald Express
The Philippine Star, Manila Standard, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Journal, Malaya Business Insight, and BusinessWorld are among the major newspapers represented on the board.
The PPI does not lack luster at its helm. Former chairmen top-billed by The Manila Times’ Joaquin “Chino” Roces, the Manila Chronicle’s Eugenio Lopez Jr., and BusinessWorld’s Raul Locsin have all guided the prestigious institution to what it is today.
Trustee for Luzon, Pahayagang Balikas
For day-to-day business, it employs a permanent secretariat run by an executive director. Prior CEOs include Juan Mercado, Adlai Amor, Alice Villadolid, Isagani Yambot, Ermin Garcia Jr., Guillermo Santos, and Jose Pavia.
Executive Director
Present leadership
Currently, Rolando Estabillo of Manila Standard is the Chairman-President of PPI, while Mindanao Times’ Amalia B. Cabusao is Vice President & Trustee for Mindanao.
“I laud the regional trustees and members for keeping up with the times, especially because the pandemic took a toll on the survival of the newspapers,” said Estabillo during his reelection as chairman last year, vowing to keep the institute relevant in the age of social media and the information disorder, and responsive to the needs of its members through its current programs and digitalization project.
Dexter A. See from Herald Express is the Corporate Secretary, while Joenald M. Rayos (Pahayagang Balikas) acts as Treasurer And Trustee for Luzon.
Ariel C. Sebellino is its Executive Director and head of training operations and special projects.
Rounding up the Board of Trustees are:
Juliet J. Javellana
Trustee, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Alfonso G. Pedroche
Trustee, The Philippine Star / Pilipino Star Ngayon
Alex Rey V. Pal
Trustee For Visayas, Metropost
Dalmacio C. Grafil
Leyte Samar Daily Express, Visayas, Publisher
Adrian Michael A. Amatong
The Mindanao Observer, Mindanao, Managing Editor
Maria Monica Anne Macasaet
Trustee, Malaya Representative
Augusto B. Villanueva (+)
Trustee, Philippine Journalists Inc.
Manila Standard News Editor Joyce Pañares is the Seminar Director of PPI.
Programs and Activities
PPI’s three most prominent initiatives are the Community Press Awards, the National Press Forum, and Civic Journalism.
The institute regularly hosts seminars and workshops on topics such as writing, libel and ethics, newspaper management, and coverage of special interest activities.
These interests include talks on the environment, business and economy, health, science and technology, children’s rights, women’s issues, ethnic conflicts, governance, elections and surveys, multimedia, and social media with the help of its local partners. Every so often, it hosts roundtable conversations on editorial ethics and publishing industry issues among its members.
