On 16 October 2026, the Saint Louis University-Communication Society (SLU ComSoc) conducted the second Project Media and Information Literacy Advocacy Network (Project MILAN) event this Academic Year 2026-2027: “Bridges of Learning: Connecting with America” event with the theme “Connecting Voices, Creating Change: Empowering Youth through Digital Storytelling, Responsible Communication, and Civic Engagement.”
Held at American Corner Baguio, Msgr. Charles Vath Library Building, the sessions, led by Bachelor of Arts in Communication students under the Languages and Communication Department, School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts, brought together 31 senior high school students from the SLU Basic Education School (BEdS). The event aimed to encourage participants to apply media and information literacy in producing engaging visual content that communicates relevant community concerns.
The facilitators included Prof. Janet S. Tibaldo, PhD; Peace Corps Volunteer Danielle Maylee Stinchcomb, MA; and third-year BA Communication students ComSoc President Nathaniel Mondero, Chico Anongos, Hajkeem Lintao, and Andrey Michael.
The event officially started with the opening speech of Jhenz Catalan, ComSoc Vice President for Internal Affairs, highlighting the importance of having a deeper understanding of media that centers on community purpose.
Mondero then opened the first part of the sharing session with a discussion on “Camera Anatomy and Photography Techniques”. His talk centered on five key concepts of Media Information Literacy in line with camera anatomy and photography. Anongos then gave a demonstration on applying basic photography techniques, including composition.
Dr. Tibaldo then discussed “Video Anatomy and Editing Techniques” centering on the importance of the Author, Format, Target Audience, Objective, and Message (AFTOM) in crafting media messages. Lintao then relayed his knowledge and gave a demonstration on mobile journalism focused on how to create a proper flow for effective storytelling.
Before the afternoon sessions commenced, NAVI paid a visit to uplift students, which also became a meaningful way to celebrate NAVI’s third birthday.
Moreover, Ms. Stinchcomb then proceeded with an interactive session titled, “What is Digital Campaign and Exploring Photo and Video Campaign” through a “Think, Pair, and Share” session that tackles digital (photo and video) campaigns. Michael facilitated a demonstration session on video and editing techniques emphasizing the importance of being the voice for the voiceless through effective call-to-action messages.
The skill-sharing sessions were followed by a hands-on workshop about creating a short mobile journalism video to allow students to apply and showcase their learnings from the sessions. The workshop included techniques in capturing audio and video media while maintaining accuracy and ethical standards.
The event concluded with a pledge of commitment, reaffirming the participants’ dedication to upholding the principles, responsibilities, and objectives of Media Information Literacy that were discussed throughout the activity.
Project MILAN has been an ongoing initiative of the BA Communication Program and ComSoc to promote the ethical use of various civic literacies and equip smart citizens to unite voices and secure digital spaces through media and information literacy, which is aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), specifically 4.3 (Lifelong learning measures), 4.3.1 (Open Educational Resources), and 4.3.2 (Academic Outreach). The program also aligned with 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). (Article by Jake Victorino, SLU Communication Society | Photos by Chargie Calubaquib, Judea Caoili, Johnblair Viloria, SLU Communication Society)
