By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Hundreds of top news executives from across Asia Pacific and beyond gathered at The Manila Hotel Tuesday as Manila hosted the Digital Media Asia conference for the first time, with Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso hailing the milestone and calling on media and government alike to earn public trust.
Organized by the World Association of News Publishers, Digital Media Asia 2026 marks its 18th edition in the Philippines as host.
The summit brings together publishers, editors, and digital executives to tackle trends in technology, revenue, and the future of news.
In his welcome remarks Tuesday morning, April 28, Domagoso thanked WAN-IFRA Director Lee Kah Whye, Philippine Daily Inquirer chairman Sandy Prieto, and Manila Bulletin’s Dr. Emilio Yap III for choosing Manila as the venue.
“This is the first time Digital Media Asia, now in its 18th year, is being held in the Philippines, and we could not be more proud,” the Mayor said.
Domagoso drew parallels between the city’s history and the news industry’s battles, describing Manila as a place where people “keep showing up, keep rebuilding, and keep moving forward” despite hardships.
He told Filipino journalists and executives that their work, “through shrinking newsrooms and relentless disruption,” still matters. “That work matters. It has always mattered, and this administration, whatever our differences, respects the role you play in our democracy,” he said.
The Mayor pointed to Manila’s digital governance push — including executive orders on open governance and digital public service — as proof that tech alone isn’t enough.
“Technology is only as good as the trust behind it,” Domagoso said. For both media and government, he said, the question remains: “How do we remain worthy of the public’s trust?”
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