Philippine Journal of Pathology Participates in APAME 2026 Annual Convention; EIC Inducted as Vice President of PAMJE

The Philippine Journal of Pathology (PJP) participated in the recently concluded APAME 2026 Annual Convention, held on 20–21 August 2026 at the Henry Sy Sr. Building, University of the Philippines Manila. Organized around the theme “Publication Quality and Ethics in the AI-Age: Empowering Editorial Excellence in the Asia-Pacific,” the two-day meeting brought together medical journal editors, authors, reviewers, librarians, researchers, and other stakeholders in scholarly publishing across the Asia-Pacific region.

Representing PJP were Dr. Amado O. Tandoc III, Editor-in-Chief, and Ms. Melissa Tandoc, Editorial Assistant. Their participation highlighted the journal’s continuing engagement with regional initiatives and discussions on strengthening the quality, integrity, and relevance of medical publishing.

On the first day of the convention, Dr. Tandoc moderated a mini-workshop on “Basic Statistics for Medical Publishing for Non-Statisticians.” The session addressed the practical statistical knowledge needed by editors, reviewers, and authors who may not have formal training in statistics, emphasizing the importance of understanding and appropriately evaluating statistical methods in medical manuscripts. The workshop formed part of the convention’s parallel workshop sessions designed for editors, reviewers, authors, researchers, and other publishing professionals.

The first day also featured several plenary sessions focused on emerging issues in medical publishing, particularly the growing role of artificial intelligence in scholarly communication. Topics included ethical AI, AI-assisted scholarship, research integrity, generative AI in academic publishing, and the use of AI tools in scientific writing.
On Day 2, Dr. Tandoc delivered a plenary lecture entitled “Developing Journal Policies on AI: From International Standards to Local Practice.” Drawing from the experience of the Philippine Journal of Pathology, the presentation discussed the process of translating emerging international recommendations and standards on the responsible use of artificial intelligence into policies that are appropriate, practical, and responsive to the local publishing environment. The lecture was part of the convention’s session on Journal Editors’ Issues, which also examined the evolving role of medical journal editors in the AI age and the experiences of journals in the Asia-Pacific region in developing AI-related policies.

The convention also marked an important milestone in Dr. Tandoc’s continuing involvement in the Philippine medical publishing community. During the closing ceremonies, he was inducted as the new Vice President for Internal Affairs of the Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE). The induction further strengthens PJP’s representation and engagement within the national community of medical journal editors and provides an opportunity to contribute to initiatives aimed at advancing editorial standards, collaboration, and professional development among Philippine medical journals.

The PJP’s participation in APAME 2026 reflects its commitment to continuous editorial development, publication ethics, and responsible innovation in scholarly publishing. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how research is conducted, written, reviewed, and published, the experience of local journals remains important in ensuring that international principles are translated into policies that are meaningful and workable within their respective contexts.

Through its participation in APAME 2026, PJP continues to contribute to and learn from the growing community of medical journal editors in the Asia-Pacific, strengthening its commitment to maintaining high standards of editorial quality, integrity, and responsible medical publishing.