Mayor Belmonte launches Quezon City’s first Media Festival 

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte speaking at the 146th birth anniversary of former President Manuel Luis Quezon

MAKI+Fiesta, a groundbreaking festival dedicated to celebrating free expression, democracy, and the creative economy, will take place from August 23 to 24 at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

This two-day event will bring together a diverse array of esteemed media leaders, artists, storytellers, content creators, and innovators to engage in their shared values for truth and reliable information, and for a dynamic exchange of ideas, insights, and inspiration.

The organizers decided to push through with the festival after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. moved the special non-working holiday for the commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day from August 21 to August 23, as this gives attendees more time to attend the festival.

“Quezon City is home to many media companies whose impact and independence we value. At the same time, QC is, and aims to be, an engine and hub to the creative economy. This is why we are proud to be the lead partner with UP, Probe, FYT, PumaPodcast, and the International Media Support for the first MAKI+Fiesta.

We are literally at the center of the festival’s message that freedom and democracy are not just values, but foundation and fuel for the innovative, creative, and economic aspirations of our people,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

MAKI-fiesta official poster

Spearheaded by the Quezon City Government in partnership with the University of the Philippines and three independent media organizations – Cheche Lazaro’s Probe Productions, Atom Araullo’s FYT Media, and Roby Alampay’s PumaPodcast – the MAKI+Fiesta aims to emphasize that freedom and democracy are not only important values, but also critical to the creative economy Filipinos aspire for.

The festival’s objectives are clear: to celebrate the rights and freedoms essential to a vibrant creative economy; to expand stakeholdership in appreciating, protecting, and promoting these freedoms; to showcase the incredible talent and innovations among Filipino storytellers and creatives; and to inspire public participation in a democracy that enables expression and creativity, while empowering shared values for truth, responsibility, and a resilient information ecosystem.

Festival attendees can expect a wide range of activities, including keynote addresses, plenary sessions, technical workshops, seminars, networking opportunities, and pop-up performances.

Among the confirmed speakers are Kara David of GMA News and the UP College of Mass Communication, Dingdong Dantes, and Atty. Chel Diokno.

Also speaking are Drag Race Philippines Season 3 contender and content creator Your Tita Baby, Linya-Linya’s Ali Sangalang, DDB Creative Director and Ms. Universe Philippines Creative Head Paolo Arevalo, and former CCP Director and producer/director of “Anak Datu” Chris Millado.

Additional notable speakers include data scientist and Council on AI Research head Erika Legara, Microsoft Head of Communications Josh Aquino, one of the country’s first licensed music therapists Althea Tolentino, and Usapang Econ’s professors JC Punongbayan and Jeff Arapoc.

The event will also feature landscape architect and urban reform champion Paolo Alcazaren, along with more esteemed journalists and media personalities, leaders, and innovators in theater, filmmaking, tourism, the food industry, and digital content creation.

The MAKI+Fiesta’s sessions will be held across three facilities in UP Diliman – the IBG-KAL Gimenez Theater, the Gimenez Gallery, and the Aldaba Theater – all lined up along Magsaysay Avenue in the State University’s Quezon City campus, across the UP Bahay Ng Alumni and the Molave Residence Hall.

Registration is free but required. Those interested in being listed for the limited number of tickets may message the Quezon City Government through its official Facebook page, or through the Facebook Messenger account of PumaPodcast, Probe Productions, or FYT Media with their names and email addresses. The registration link will be emailed on a first-come-first-served basis.

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