(Photo courtesy of PIA)
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – A youth leader from Rizal has urged young people across Southeast Asia to combat disinformation, practice critical thinking, and use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly to strengthen digital safety and resilience.
Aliyah Mikaela Tan, national spokesperson of FPJ Youth and Philippine delegate to the ASEAN Youth Summit on Digital Resilience and Responsible Use of New Technologies, emphasized that protecting online communities requires collective responsibility and regional cooperation.
Tan, who hails from Antipolo City, said digital resilience goes beyond individual skills and requires coordinated efforts to safeguard communities against misinformation and emerging online threats.
“Ang digital resilience ay hindi lang siya basta personal skill o ‘di lang siya natatapos sa isang tao, so it’s a collective responsibility talaga,” Tan said in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Her remarks followed her participation in the two-day ASEAN Youth Summit held on August 5 and 6 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
Organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and National Youth Commission (NYC), the summit gathered approximately 300 youth leaders and stakeholders from ASEAN member states to discuss digital literacy, online safety, ethical technology use, and responsible innovation.
The event received support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines and the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Tan described the gathering as an opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow youth leaders from Southeast Asia and develop collective approaches to addressing digital challenges.
She stressed that young people, as frequent users of social media and digital platforms, play a crucial role in preventing the spread of false information.
According to Tan, youth should prioritize fact-checking over immediately sharing unverified content and remain vigilant against misleading online posts.
She also encouraged the responsible use of AI for education, community development, and public service rather than deception or harmful activities.
Tan pledged to share the knowledge and insights gained from the summit with fellow youth leaders and local communities to promote greater awareness of digital safety.
She emphasized that technological advancement must be accompanied by accountability, reminding young people that while AI can generate information, users remain responsible for verifying its accuracy.
Source: Philippine Information Agency
