Learn, connect, be human: Social Good Summit unveils masterclasses for November 21

• The Social Good Summit (SGS) in Manila will focus on the urgent need to protect human values from the potential harms of unregulated artificial intelligence.
• The event will feature RappLearn masterclass sessions aimed at upskilling communities in AI, along with discussions led by global AI policy experts.
• Proceeds from the event will support independent journalism and expand AI literacy in schools across the Philippines, emphasizing the importance of learning and connection in the age of technology.

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MANILA, Philippines – All over the world, anxiety is mounting about the lack of guardrails for artificial intelligence systems. A multitude of voices, from artists to tech billionaires, have called for caution against unchecked AI development, calling it the most powerful technology that, used wrongly, could end humanity.

This year’s Social Good Summit (SGS) will be about the most urgent conversation of our time: how do we protect human values, human creativity, and human communities from the harms posed by unregulated and abused AI?

The answer lies in humanity: the human capacity to be curious, to learn, and to connect.

That is at the heart of WE, THE HUMANS happening on November 21, 2026 (Saturday) at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila.

It is a celebration of what people can do: learn, create, tell stories, build communities, and steer technology toward good.

For the first time in a Social Good Summit, we will feature our in-demand RappLearn masterclass sessions that aim to upskill and capacitate communities in dealing with, and using, AI. These are modified versions of the full classes, allowing attendees to sample more than one class. 

Following a 2025 Social Good Summit that brought George and Amal Clooney to Manila, this year’s gathering celebrates something increasingly precious in the age of AI: learning from, and connecting with each other, in the real world.

What to expect at WE, THE HUMANS

This year’s SGS brings together leaders, practitioners, creators, and advocates from the Philippines and around the world for a full day of learning, connection, and community.

• Learn something you didn’t know before. Pick two RappLearn masterclasses on human-centered AI, storytelling, and more, led by people with real-world experience and designed around ideas and skills you can actually take with you. For the full list of learning sessions, scroll to the bottom of this page.
• Hear from the world’s foremost AI experts. We’re bringing global leaders in AI policy-making to speak for the first time in the Philippines about high-level discussions on this technology, and what institutions should be doing about it. We’ll reveal our speakers in the coming days. Stay tuned.
• Have conversations you can’t prompt. Meet people shaping their fields, and others just as curious about where the world is going. Expect candid conversations, unexpected encounters, and connections that don’t happen through a screen or with a chatbot.
• Each ticket matters. Proceeds from WE, THE HUMANS support Rappler’s independent investigative journalism and help bring AI literacy to schools and institutions across the Philippines through the expansion of RappLearn, equipping more Filipinos to navigate technology critically and responsibly. What you learn here helps someone else learn, too. 

Your ticket also gives you three months of Rappler+ membership, our premium subscription that gives you unlimited access to our investigative and explanatory journalism, and exclusive briefings and events.

Masterclasses for a changing world

Your ticket gives you access to two learning sessions, which are condensed versions of our in-demand RappLearn masterclasses, typically held as longer-form programs. Choose from six sessions across the day: one for your morning, and one for your afternoon.

Morning Sessions (Choose one):

How Safe Are You When AI is in the Room? Privacy and Personal Safety in the Age of AI Agents

By Gemma Mendoza, Head of Strategic Programs

This session examines how the integration of AI into daily life affects personal security and welfare. By the end of the session, participants will take home a personal digital wellness action plan, which includes strategies to mitigate risks to safety and privacy in the age of AI.

Talking to Machines: What a Newsroom Taught Me About Vibe Coding

By Don Kevin Hapal, Chief Data Officer

This session shares the most surprising lessons from working with AI and a skeptical, deadline-driven newsroom. The highlight of this lesson is a live, collaborative build, where participants direct an AI to create a working tool from scratch — deciding what to make, and troubleshooting it in real time. The goal is to understand what vibe coding really means for companies and organizations.

#AnimatED: The Art of the Animated Editorial Cartoon

By Nico Villarete, DR Castuciano, and Emil Mercado (Rappler Creatives Team)

This workshop introduces participants to the dynamic world of animated editorial cartoons. Blending traditional journalistic commentary, satirical illustration, and motion design, this course teaches students how to transform sharp political and social critique into engaging, moving visual narratives.

Afternoon Sessions (Choose one):

Under Pressure: A Masterclass on Reputation and Risk

By Miko Superable (Marketing Lead) and Carla Yap-Sy Su (Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer)

Drawing from Rappler’s experience as a newsroom, this mini masterclass prompts brand managers, marketers, and advocates to revisit the foundations of marketing for the AI age, from telling stories that travel and building trusted relationships to creating brands resilient enough to withstand crisis.

Turning Insights into Impact: Data-driven Storytelling for Professionals

By Kit Posadas (Head of Strategy for Business Intelligence) and Pauline Macaraeg (Lead Forensics Researcher for Rappler)

This course empowers professionals to transform data into compelling narratives that drive strategic decisions and inspire action. Learners will explore the foundations of data storytelling, including sourcing and analyzing credible data, structuring narratives using proven frameworks, visualizing insights effectively, and tailoring presentations for diverse audiences. Designed for non-technical and technical participants alike, the course equips learners with tips to communicate data with clarity, context, and impact across business, policy, and communication contexts.

Living in Water: A 360° Immersion into the Climate Crisis

By Ana P. Santos and the Atlantic Institute

This 360° virtual reality documentary immerses viewers in life on Isla Tibaguin, Bulacan, where rising sea levels turn streets into rivers nearly every day. The 15-minute documentary reveals what residents are forced to endure as they adapt to the climate emergency unfolding in slow motion. Living in Water makes its large-scale premiere at the Social Good Summit. This session includes a talkback with the film’s creator, and members of the community it spotlights.

Early access tickets available now

Early access tickets are available until September 30. Buy your tickets below. You will get to pick your two learning sessions during the ticket purchasing process.

Come learn. Come connect. Come be human with us.

For sponsorships, please reach out to socialgood@rappler.com. – Rappler.com