COMMUNICATIONS and Media Studies students of the Cebu Normal University placed first in the “Pak! Check Video Making Contest” during the Philippine Fact-Checking Summit 2023 held recently at the University of Santo Tomas.

Team “Fact Warriors” was composed of Carl John Griño, Hoehnferdz Gonzaga and Lourdes Isabella Corpuz.

Their entry was a video that “explored the critical issue of information disorder, specifically focusing on misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.”

The video highlighted effective fact-checking strategies in a simple and direct manner to emphasize the basics of fact-checking as a vital foundation for assessing information on social media platforms.

The content focused on debunking false information, providing essential tips for assessing information, and promoting media information literacy.

It also suggested various reliable websites and pages that viewers could utilize to determine the reliability of information, empowering individuals to combat information disorder and avoid falling victim to misleading content.

“We realized the significance of fact-checking and the responsibility of communicators in helping people become more discerning consumers of information, especially in today’s vast media landscape,” CNU quoted Gonzaga as saying.

“We believe that by integrating this subject [Media and Information Literacy] into educational curricula, students will develop the critical skills necessary to identify false information and become less susceptible to sharing misleading content,” Griño said.

The event, organized by Media Civics Lab Fact Checking Academy, Break the Fake Movement, Internews, Rappler, Facts First PH, and Rappler Move PH, aims to bring awareness to the pressing issue of information disorder and the importance of fact-checking.