The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC), UNESCO, and DepEd International Cooperation Office (ICO) collaborate through Project iLearn with the aim of creating a school-based Media and Information Literacy (MIL) campaign for the Philippines, in response to our country’s commitment to the ASEAN Workplan for Education.
Two months after the last Project iLearn activity held in Tagaytay City, the DepEd ICO, in partnership with the LCC Secretariat, organized another writeshop last July 11-14, 2022 at EM Royalle Hotel and Beach Resort, San Juan, La Union, Philippines.
Dr. Jose Reuben Q. Alagaran, Staff Director for Planning and Communication Research and Officer-in-Charge of PIA-MIMAROPA also collaborated in the project by facilitating a relevant discussion on the importance of strengthening media and information literacy initiatives in the education sector. Meanwhile, Ms. Ann Lorraine Macadaeg, Information Officer III of PIA main office’s Policy and Communication Research Division facilitated a workshop and presented activities to be conducted as part of the school-based campaign on MIL. Furthermore, Dr. Ramon Tuazon from UNESCO comprehensively discussed the main thematic areas of MIL.
Education Program Specialists and representatives from various bureaus and services in the Department of Education Central Office converged once again with the intention to fulfill one of the commitments of the Philippines to the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2021-2025 which is to organize media and information literacy campaign, promote peace education and moderation values and to combat fake news. Also present in the writeshop were select personnel and teachers from Region 1 and SDO La Union.
The writeshop aimed to identify the activities that will be conducted as part of the school-based campaign on MIL; form technical working groups in-charge of each component; determine a preliminary timeline covering the preparations and conduct for each activity; accomplish the brief proposals/concept notes articulating the background and objectives of each activity; and to identify, develop, and craft the title for the school-based MIL campaign.
The said 3-day event was a success as it filled each participant with further knowledge on the background of MIL as well as it commenced the start of the series of writeshops with the intention to develop and articulate the details of the Philippine’s campaign on MIL. With one of the goals of the LCCS which is to promote programs and strategies relevant to the universalization of literacy, it is important to continue to work hand in hand with the DepEd ICO and the PIA through the next series of activities with the directive of one day, successfully integrating media and information literacy to the cognizance of the Filipino learners.