By Herkurt Tamba and Leonard Tucjayao
Photos by Youth-led Network for the Right to Information
With the goal of alleviating disinformation in the Philippines through building networks of youth leaders and info champions across the nation, Youth-led Network for the Right to Information (YNFORM) drives their agenda by partnering with Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Leaders and Local Youth Development Officers (LYDOs) through a capacity-building program for mainstreaming media and information literacy (MIL) initiatives.
Youth leaders and LYDOs from General Santos City, Upi, Kabacan, and Cagayan de Oro immersed themselves in discussions and training of the MIL toolkits at the Avior Hotel, General Santos City from March 22 to 23.
Following the two-day event, several activities were conducted pertaining to the process and mechanics of conducting the games provided in the MIL toolkits to simulate and acquaint the youth leaders with strategies they can use as they bring this project to their respective localities.
The training also provided an avenue for both YNFORM and the youth leaders to realize specific considerations about the viability of the activities based on the situation of the youth in their communities.
As they deliberated the applicability of the toolkits, opportunities for improvements were highlighted, such as the contextualization of the materials based on their localities, modification of the game modality, and the extent of the application of the toolkits regarding their efficacy.
The participants have shown their support for the goal of YNFORM to create change in communities, especially at the grassroots, as the officials have positively responded to the commitment of transforming the information sector of the nation through their SK programs bound for the benefit of their constituents.
Transforming Media Information Literacy
In an interview with the project lead of YNFORM, Ms. Nikki Estella stated that “the purpose of the training is to gather yung mga SKs because we believe na hindi lang dapat yung MIL tinuturo sa schools, but most importantly, we reach out to the communities, especially sa mga batang hindi formally nakakapag-aral ng MIL sa schools. And, hindi lang mga bata, but we want to target also yung mga voters natin to be media literate, especially panahon na naman ulit ng eleksyon.”
She also imparted that hopefully the prime goal of Ynform will be actualized through an agreement with the Department of Education to implement the MIL program crafted by the organization.
“We cannot partner with public highschools kung walang mandato from DepEd,” she emphasized.
Nevertheless, YNFORM continues its pledge to reach more communities of youth to be part of the network in promoting the campaign for the right to information and addressing disinformation.
Commitment for Change
On the second day of the event, eleven (11) SK leaders from the different areas of Mindanao manifested their support by signing a Memorandum of Agreement, which indicated their commitment as partner entities to strengthen the right to information among the youth of their localities.
Mr. John Rey Busgano, an SK Kagawad of Brgy. Calumpang shared that his commitment is urged by his role as a youth leader in the current state of disinformation in the country.
“Especially sa aming barangay [kase] medyo populated kami at maraming youth kailangan mawidespread talaga on how to properly use and how to properly address something in social media,” he remarked.
Moreover, SK Chairperson Roselia Lomo from Upi explained that she signed the agreement not because of her personal interest but for the benefit of her constituents.
“As their leader, ako dapat ang mauna and gusto ko [rin] na magkaroon sila ng knowledge about sa MIL and i-strengthen din namin na hindi ma ano ang youth sa disinformation,” she explained.
The initiation of this commitment is to expand the network of YNFORM among young local government officials to purposefully mitigate the state of disinformation at the grassroots level through the programs and ordinances of the Sanguniang Kabataan.
The Youth-led Network for the Right to Information (YNFORM) is a network led by the Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking (CYAN), together with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Philippines (FES Philippines) and Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace), with funding from the European Union in the Philippines
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