Philippine Normal University (PNU) participated in the Training of Trainers (ToT) Program to Address Disinformation and Promote Media Informational Literacy, which was held on March 1-2, 2023 at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. PNU was represented by Niño D. Naldoza, Director, Institute of Knowledge Management (IKM), Prof. Nonita C. Marte, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Mr. John Carlo M. Ramos, Executive Director, AsTEN Secretariat. The training was organized by ASEAN and supported by USAID.

PNU actively participated in the discussion and workshop on how teacher education institutions can address the problems of disinformation through the use of the ASEAN-endorsed ToT Progran, which underscored the significance of the ASEAN-endorsed ToT Program to Address Disinformation and Promote Media Literacy: Toolkit for Educators that was launched in January 2022. The need to localize the use of the toolkit was emphasized to help teachers design their lessons specific to their contexts. It is expected that AsTEN and its member institutions will be able to support in sustaining ASEAN’s advocacy of combatting fake news and disinformation through education.

The ToT Program aims to equip teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to teach the students about media literacy and how to critically identify disinformation and misinformation. The event brought together educators from different countries to share their experiences and strategies in addressing the issue of disinformation.

Dir. Naldoza expressed his gratitude to be part of the event and stated, “This is a significant opportunity for our institution to learn from other educators and develop a more comprehensive approach to combat disinformation. We are committed to utilizing the knowledge we gained to create a better learning environment for our students.”

The participation of Philippine Normal University in the ToT Program is expected to contribute to the implementation of the ASEAN-endorsed ToT Program and the promotion of media literacy in the Philippines.