Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso welcomed hundreds of news media executives and publishers from across the Asia Pacific and around the world Tuesday morning, April 28, as the Philippine capital hosted the Digital Media Asia conference for the first time in its 18-year history.
The event, organized by the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and held at The Manila Hotel, draws top-level publishers, editors, and digital executives to discuss digital trends, revenue, and technology in the news industry.
Domagoso opened his remarks by acknowledging WAN-IFRA Director Lee Kah Whye, Philippine Daily Inquirer chairman Sandy Prieto, and Manila Bulletin’s Dr. Emilio Yap III for making Manila the venue for the conference’s 18th edition.
“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 a parallel between Manila’s character and the resilience of the media industry, describing the city as one where people “keep showing up, keep rebuilding, and keep moving forward” despite repeated hardships.
He told Filipino journalists and media executives in attendance that the government respects the press’s role in democracy, saying their work “through shrinking newsrooms and relentless disruption” continues to matter.
“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 cited Manila’s own digital governance initiatives—including executive orders formalizing open governance and digital public service—as proof that technology must be grounded in public trust to be effective.
“Technology is only as good as the trust behind it,” he said, adding that the core question for both media and government remains the same: “How do we remain worthy of the public’s trust?”
