Inquirer Volunteers Batch ’26 gets first taste of newsroom work

MANILA, Philippines — Aspiring young journalists received their first introduction to newsroom work as Inquirer.net welcomed a new batch of volunteers through an orientation program in Makati City on Friday, Oct. 30.Held at work.able, Robinsons Summit Center, the session covered the fundamentals of news gathering, reporting and storytelling, as well as the responsible use of artificial intelligence in journalism.

Inquirer senior manager for digital strategy Ralph Gurango led the orientation, introducing participants to the history of the Inquirer Volunteers program and their roles as contributors to the news organization.

READ: Inquirer.net volunteers all set for 2025 elections coverage

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Three resource speakers shared their expertise to guide the volunteers.

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Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Kathleen de Villa opened the session with an overview of the volunteer program and its potential to help aspiring writers pursue careers in media. She also discussed the fundamentals of news gathering and effective news communication.

Carl Javier, executive director and chief AI ethicist of Data and AI Ethics PH, and co-vice president of the Asian American Journalists Association-Philippines Chapter, discussed the responsible use of artificial intelligence as a reporting tool, emphasizing the need to keep journalism grounded in facts.

Inquirer.net social media specialist and 2025 Inquirer Volunteer Ranne Mirasol concluded the discussion by sharing her experiences in the program, offering the new batch a firsthand account of what they can expect as volunteers.

READ: INQUIRER.net launches volunteer program for 2022 election coverage

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Launched in 2016 as Inquirer Volunteers Corps, the program seeks to encourage students from various schools to get involved in covering significant events and telling stories that shape the nation through INQUIRER.net.

It was relaunched in December 2021 to allow students to assist in covering the 2022 presidential elections and welcomed another batch of student volunteers in 2025, further expanding its pool of contributors and continuing its commitment to developing young storytellers and aspiring journalists./dp