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Atom Araullo urges young journalists: Be brave, responsible in the digital age
For award-winning journalist Atom Araullo, truth-telling is no longer just the job of newsrooms; it now belongs to everyone with a phone and a platform.
The GMA Integrated News anchor and documentarist was in Cebu on Friday, July 4, 2025, to serve as commencement speaker in the 86th commencement ceremony of the University of the Philippines Cebu.
Araullo, an alumnus of UP Diliman, anchors "State of the Nation" and creates documentaries for "The Atom Araullo Specials" and "I-Witness."
Before the graduation ceremony began at 2 p.m., Araullo faced the local press during which he shared his thoughts on journalism, social responsibility, and how young people can shape public conversation.
'Everybody, I think, today, should consider themselves a journalist,' Araullo said.
'Because the way we use social media is shorthand for how we do our job. So we gather information, we verify the proof or veracity of that information. And we make a decision whether or not to post it, to amplify it, to comment about it,' he added.
Araullo encouraged young journalists to embrace their voice and purpose, even in an age where professional media "no longer have the monopoly of information."
'I always tell young journalists to be bolder, believe that they have a voice — and that their voice, in a way, is even more influential than people who work in mainstream media, because that is the power of youth,' he said.
'You are unblemished, in a way, and there is an assumption that you're just working for your future. So be courageous, and also show the way to people and older journalists who might be becoming jaded through the years,' he added.
He added that activism and truth-telling are not limited to big acts but can happen quietly within personal circles.
'You don't have to fight with people you don't know online. It's a waste of energy. But if you have chat groups — family chat groups — maybe your uncle posted something like this, or maybe your aunt posted something like this… we should start with our immediate circle and make sure that we're being part of the solution,' he said.
Araullo also warned against the dangers of unchecked technology and artificial intelligence (AI), calling for clear ethical boundaries early on.
'With AI, we should be… Well, hopefully, we've learned our lesson. This early, we should already set the guardrails,' he said.
'We should engage and we should use it in a way that is open-minded. We should know that it can be used for bad purposes. At the same time, we should also accept that it's here. It's like a Pandora's box. You open it, there's no putting it back,' he added.
UP Cebu President Angelo A. Jimenez emphasized the role of scientific innovation in activism, saying that today's revolution comes from labs, not just the streets.
'Activism should be a way of life… Every time Atom Araullo exposes a social injustice, that's activism,' he said.
'They say activism is trying to overthrow the government. But really, the most revolutionary changes that has happened in the world are created in science laboratories… activism is conducted in quieter places, in simple places, in calm places,' he added.
A total of 480 students graduated across nine programs this 2025, stepping into a world where, as Jimenez reminded them, meaningful change can come from both quiet work and bold action, 'from the regions, for the nation.'
A MESSAGE OF HUMILITY AND SERVICE
In his speech, Araullo opened up about his own uncertainties, calling himself an introvert and sharing that he skipped his own graduation ceremony in 2005 for no deep reason, just because he was 'a corny student, feeling cool.'
To make up for it, he said he brought his parents with him to UP Cebu, 20 years later, to finally march with them by his side.
'The truth is, this celebration is not just for students, but also for the people who supported you on this journey… You are here not just for yourself, but also for them,' he said.
The seasoned journalist didn't present himself as someone with all the answers, but instead offered hard-earned insights from two decades of navigating what he called a 'chaotic, ever-changing, beautiful, but often heartbreaking world.'
Araullo also reminded the graduates of the role they now play in shaping the future of a country that remains both beautiful and deeply unequal.
'The Philippines is a country of breathtaking beauty, and Filipinos are a people of myriad talents… But behind every celebration of Filipino pride is a harsh and undeniable truth: millions still live every day in conditions of uncertainty, injustice, and marginalization,' he said.
He urged the graduates to understand, not judge, and to walk with the poor and the unheard, not out of charity, but out of justice.
'You don't have to be poor to stand with the poor. You just have to care enough to act, because in the end we are only as strong and as successful as the most vulnerable among us.'
He also spoke out on the war in Gaza, calling it a genocide and encouraging graduates not to look away.
'The killing of children, the destruction of homes, hospitals, and schools — these are crimes that history will remember. And it will ask us, 'Where were you? What did you say? And what did you do?'' he said.
He further added that 'service is not a sacrifice, it is a privilege. And understanding is not weakness, it is the foundation of strength.'
