Pananaw workshop teaches critical thinking for Filipino Youth

Janina Quitlong and Kathy Pimentel
May 12, 2025 | TATAY, Philippines (UMC TV Studios)

Members of United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Philippines participate in a workshop on media and critical thinking. Video by UMC TV Manila.

The United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Philippines recently conducted a “Pananaw” (the Filipino term for “perspectives”) workshop. The three-day program centered on media literacy with a focus on social media. Speakers also addressed the topic of “fake news” and how to be critical consumers of news and information. Youth compromise 60 percent of the voting population in the Philippines and 2025 is an important election year. Janina Quitlong and Kathy Pimentel report from Taytay.

News media contact: Julie Dwyer at [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now

Congregations

Laura Wenger and James Poland share a laugh at the start of a Dungeons & Dragons game on July 19 in the youth room of Glendale United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn. Several game players have joined the church after being attracted by the weekly role-playing games held Sunday after worship services. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Embracing role-playing games at church

Once a scourge to conservative Christians, Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games are now sometimes hosted at United Methodist churches, where players say the games can reinforce things they learn in church.

Theology and Education

(From left) Francisco Tivane, the Rev. Filibus Bakari Auta, Ibada Hussaini, Fiston Lutuku Okito and Lebon Okito display their certificates following strategic communications training at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The communicators say they will use their enhanced skills to guide their African communities through the challenges of conflict and epidemics. Photo courtesy of Africa University.

Communicators in Africa serve on front lines of crises

Trained in strategic communications by United Methodist Communications and Africa University, eight communicators share how they plan to use their new skills to serve communities facing conflict, disease and misinformation.

Theology and Education

Graduates of a new strategic communications program hold their certificates following a June 26 graduation ceremony at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The group represented the first of two cohorts of United Methodist communicators trained to strengthen the church’s media network across the continent in the face of crises, epidemics and misinformation. The program is a partnership between Africa University and United Methodist Communications. Photo courtesy of Africa University.

Communications program strengthens storytelling in Africa

United Methodist communicators from all 14 of the church’s African episcopal areas received strategic communications training and certification through a partnership between Africa University and United Methodist Communications.

Related Tags

Sign up for our newsletter!