The 41-year-old group has tapped Brilliant Jerk Production (BJP) to chronicle its role in covering the country’s most critical economic stories that often shape policy, markets, and public understanding.
The agreement was formalized last March 23 by EJAP president John Ted O. Cordero and BJP co-founder and producer Madeleine “Mads” Miraflor, herself a former EJAP member, giving the project both insider access and lived perspective.
For Miraflor, the project is deeply personal, and long overdue.
“It’s strange, being on the outside of something you were once inside. Looking back, I probably looked past how privileged I was to be part of it. And maybe that’s exactly why I’m doing this. It’s because I think there’s really something here worth telling,” she said in a Facebook post.
The documentary is still in its early stages, but the core narrative is already clear.
“To be honest, I don’t know yet which direction I’m going, or what treatment I’ll use. But I know that the story is already there. It has always been there. It just needed someone to tell it,” Mirafor said.
More than numbers and headlines
The film aims to capture EJAP beyond press releases and economic data, diving into the lived realities of journalists who cover inflation, interest rates, energy crises, and corporate power.
Miraflor’s early shoots included interviews with founders who reported during the 1980s, navigating the tail end of Martial Law and witnessing the People Power Revolution firsthand.
Their stories reflect how economic journalism evolved from a “gritty job” into a critical pillar of accountability, even if many never initially saw it as a calling.
It also highlights the human side of the beat—from newsroom camaraderie to traditions like EJAP’s sportsfest, where reporters covering markets and macroeconomics briefly trade headlines for tug-of-war and obstacle courses.
Big picture
The collaboration underscores a broader push to make economic reporting more accessible to the public, at a time when financial decisions, policy shifts, and global shocks increasingly affect everyday life.
By pulling back the curtain, the documentary positions EJAP not just as a professional group, but as a quiet force shaping how Filipinos understand the economy.
Who’s behind the project
Founded in 2019, Brilliant Jerk Production is a young filmmaking collective focused on producing “fresh, engaging, and thought-provoking” stories across formats from short films to documentaries.
The group says it aims to push beyond traditional storytelling and create content that connects, educates, and challenges audiences.
EJAP leadership
This year’s EJAP board is led by Cordero, with Lorenz Marasigan as vice president for external affairs and Maria Bernadette Romero as vice president for internal affairs.
Beatriz Cruz serves as secretary, Jed Aldous Macapagal as treasurer, and Brix Lelis as auditor.
The board of directors includes Gerard de la Peña, Louella Desiderio, Alena Mae Flores, Jordeene Lagare, and Lenie Lectura.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
InsiderPH CEO Dax Lucas is a former EJAP president. Managing editor Corrie Salientes-Narisma was part of EJAP’s founding board in 1985, while COO Miguel R. Camus is a former member.
