Events

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The 31st National Public Relations (PR) Congress, organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), is set to take place this September 26 and 27 at the Manila Hotel Tent City.

It is poised to attract thousands of industry leaders, communication experts, academicians, and other interested parties to one location and witness the trends and issues shaping the public relations landscape and how the local industry is reacting to these tectonic shifts within the profession. 

Now in its 31st year, the PR Congress is once again tackling topics that pose challenges not only to the PR industry but also to the entire world. This year, the PR Congress focuses on VUCA — volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity — and how these factors constantly disrupt practice and the world we live in. This year’s theme is “Into the Unknown: Communication in the Time of VUCA.”

“As many of us have noticed, our world has been constantly in a state of disruption for a number of years now — we’ve experienced a global health crisis, witnessed the geopolitical state of the world turn on its head, and now we are in the midst of a technological upheaval brought about by the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence in almost all aspects of our life,” said Norman Agatep, APR, Chairman of the 31st PR Congress and President and CEO of Grupo Agatep, “As communicators, we must chart these disruptions and see how we can harness the power of PR to help brands, communities, peoples, and nations withstand the impact of VUCA in their lives.”

To help attendees and other stakeholders understand how to live and thrive in this VUCA world, a comprehensive set of topics will be discussed during the PR Congress. 

First is Profiling Today’s Stakeholders, a discussion aimed to explore how this generation of consumers selects the content they engage with and what platforms they use. It also aims to help equip communicators with the necessary knowledge to engage these consumers. Under the topic, is the subtopic Generations Apart: What Media Consumption is Telling Us About Our Multi-Generational Society which will delve into how an informational schism has emerged and how this is affecting the consumption, use, and sharing of information and data. Meanwhile, for the Navigating Stakeholder Communication in the Era of Social Media, AI, and Web3 topic, participants will witness how new technological innovations are changing the way professionals engage stakeholders. 

The second major theme is Courageous Conversations, which will zero in on how storytelling can foster trust in an increasingly uncertain world. Calming A Nation: Responding to Volatility with Vision will be a subtopic seeking to understand how communication can quell fear, distrust, and misinformation in today’s world while Meaningful Audience Engagement through Entertainment will focus on entertainment and how brands and communicators can tap into it to create more meaningful conversations with their audience. 

Third is Taming Wild Tech, which aims to understand how emerging technologies can be used to power more meaningful and impactful connections among people. The Powered by AI: How Artificial Intelligence is Redefining PR Practice session will examine how artificial intelligence is transforming PR practices and how it can continue to elevate and redefine the profession. For the Man Versus Machine: Creativity and Empathy in the Era of AI discussion, audiences will hear insightful takes on how creativity and empathy can continue to influence the work of communicators, even with more advanced PR tools available. Third is Truth Be Told: Can Ethics in PR Coexist with AI, which goes into the quandary of practicing ethical PR and how it can be affected by the inherent moral ambiguity of artificial intelligence tools. Finally, The Fate of Philippine PR in the Time of AI will explore how public relations in the Philippines may be shaped by the rise of AI.  

Aside from these three main topics, the two-day PR Congress will also delve into Letting Go: Acknowledging and Channeling the Power that Others Wield in Shaping Brand Reputation, Decoding New Tools: Mastering Emerging Platforms and Channels in a Multi-Screen Society, and Demystifying Data: Making Numbers and Statistics Make Sense for Communication Professionals.

“These themes are specifically designed to stimulate thought and inspire conversations that will extend beyond this PR Congress. We want to start discussions that will lead to action. Action that will not only allow brands to thrive in a VUCA setting but also directly contribute to the positive development of society,” Norman explained. 

The 31st National PR Congress is expected to feature a world-class roster of speakers from different backgrounds, such as government, technology, academe, and communication experts. The event will be a rare opportunity to listen to the leading minds in topics such as AI, public relations, advertising, and many other fields as they discuss how our world is increasingly shaped by VUCA. 

“We are excited to invite everyone to the 31st National PR Congress. This is an opportunity to listen to groundbreaking ideas from captains of industry, thought leaders, communication experts, and other professionals shaping the world we live in. Join us on September 26 and 27, for impactful conversations about our industry and the times we live in,” said Andy Saracho, APR, PRSP President. 

For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, click here.