Philippines

Amber Studios

How I dropped out of traditional media to build my own creative lab

Jacque Manabat has transitioned from a celebrated, decades-long career as a senior multi-platform journalist at the Philippines' largest broadcasting network to becoming an independent producer and creative entrepreneur. Jacque is the co-founder of Amber Studios, a vibrant post-production hub and creative lab dedicated to shaping the next wave of Filipino content. Here, she doesn't just produce her content, but also creates a diverse portfolio of content for other creatives, including an upcoming educational animation short series for Filipino children. Her passion for purpose-driven media is evident in the vodcasts she produces, which cover critical topics like animal rights, mobility rights, young entrepreneurship, and various social issues.

Philippines

AI Ethicist

How I reset my life, became an AI ethicist, and returned to traditional media

Carl Javier is a writer by training, but has a career that has spanned journalism, academe, publishing, development work, and more. He was the CEO of PumaPodcast for 4 years, the Managing Editor of Anino Comics for 5 years, and has been a teacher for almost 20 years. He is currently the Executive Director of Data and AI Ethics PH, where he advocates for Responsible AI adoption.

Philippines

317 Group

What you can learn from Swifties and BTS Army about turning communities into diehard fans

Marga Deona is the Chief Operating Officer of 317 Group, an ecosystem of digital marketing, influencer management, and content creation ventures. She also serves as a consultant for the Media Development Investment Fund. Before 317, she spent over a decade at Rappler, where she led product management for multimedia, pioneering audience-centric formats. Her work bridges media, politics, and fandom, and she is on a mission to prove that the future of journalism belongs to those who understand how people feel, not just how they click.