A top executive from Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has called on the next generation of communicators to leverage their transformative power responsibly, stressing transparency, ethics, and truth as they reshape the communication landscape.

This comes as Meralco vice president and head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga delivered his opening remarks during the final day of The Communications Olympiad, a national training and competition for students in communications, marketing and public relations.

Zaldarriaga, who also serves as chairman of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, encouraged the young participants to utilize innovations, digital platforms and tools with a strong sense of responsibility.

The three-day event, co-organized by IABC Philippines and COMCO School of Communications, brought together students from various schools and universities across the country, spanning regions including Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Tarlac, Bicol, Cordilleras, Antique and Iloilo City.

Highlighting the significant influence of communicators, Zaldarriaga said, “We don’t just inform — we have the ability to transform. To shape mindsets, influence attitudes, and move people toward a more conscious and responsible way of living.”

He also stressed the unique abilities of the younger generation in engaging and communicating, enabling them to not only make topics trend but also to create transformative impact.

“You are not just the future. You are the now. You are the hope of our profession. The ones who will ensure that communication in the Philippines remains grounded in the basics — clarity, purpose, and most crucially, ethics and truth,” Zaldarriaga said.