EJN Leads Bootcamp for Social Media Content Creators in the Philippines
Earlier this month, Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) held a four-day bootcamp in the mountain city of Baguio in the Philippines as part of its pilot initiative, Earth Shorts. Eight social media content creators were selected for training on climate science and resilience, grants and mentorship.
Earth Shorts aims to deepen these communicators’ understanding of climate change—and the links between climate, health, food, fashion, culture, tourism, finance and more—and enhance their skills in producing short-form video content that educates and engages their audiences on social media. EJN conceived of Earth Shorts recognizing that people are increasingly getting news and information from social media, even as climate and environmental news avoidance is growing.
At the bootcamp, the eight fellows and their mentors, Gregg Yan and Jacque Manabat, explored fun ways to create high-quality, engaging content and refine their skills in crafting impactful social media posts on climate resilience and environmental issues in the country.
Amy Sim, Regional Program Manager for Asia Pacific Environmental Programs, joined virtually to speak about the goal of the program: to raise public awareness and understanding about climate change and environmental issues in the Philippines by improving the accuracy and quality of content disseminated on social media.
Biena Magbitang, Regional Director at Climate Tracker, and EJN’s Philippines Program Manager Imelda Abaño went into some depth on climate impacts in the Philippines, and how good information—in mainstream media and social media—fosters an environment of accountability and transparency.
“Supporting social media content creators—in addition to journalists—is an effective way to help inform the public, increase awareness and stir discussion on climate issues in the Philippines, a country that urgently needs to invest in strengthening resilience for the future,” said Abaño.
“Through Earth Shorts, we’re aiming to sharpen these communicators’ skills in producing captivating visuals and conveying compelling and truthful narratives using innovative storytelling techniques,” she added.
The fellows discussed strategies for responsible content production and shared their thoughts on using their influence to advocate for climate action with Angelo Guison, a chef and influencer who highlights issues of food security in the country, and one of the top 20 finalists in the Ten Outstanding Young Filipino Influencers (TOYFI) competition this year. Sean Paul Manalo (TikTok @Kalikasean), one of the Earth Shorts fellows, said the bootcamp helped him realize his value as a content creator and inspired him to keep sharing his passion for plants and the environment. As an ecologist, he said that learning—and sharing—information on the impacts of climate change on plants and their habitats is integral to their conservation.
“Through the bootcamp, I was able to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to create effective and engaging content about climate impacts to inspire people to take steps to counter climate change and contribute to forest conservation initiatives,” Manalo said.
Raymor Cuevas (TikTok @raymorcuevas), another fellow, shared: “Stepping out of my comfort zone not only broadened my perspective but also fueled personal growth.”
The fellows delved into different ways to tell their stories creatively and better engage their audiences, honing their skills in creating compelling videos, and planning Out the content production process.
Bryan Manalang, a reporter and fact-checker from VeraFiles, led a fact-checking session with the creators at the bootcamp to emphasize the importance of building a fact-checking mindset in combating disinformation on social media platforms, particularly rampant in the realm of climate.
On the last day of the bootcamp, the creators shared reels they’d produced on climate resilience from their field visit to the strawberry and vegetable farms in La Trinidad, Benguet.
@lostjuanph Strawberry sa La Trinidad Benguet malapit na nga ba mag-extinc? Sa mga nakalipas na mga taon, palakas ng palakas ang mga bagyo sa Pilipinas. Ganun din ang patuloy na pagtaas ng temperatura sa bansa na lubhang nakakaapekto sa agrikultura. Sa aking pagbisita sa Benguet, Aking nakita ang mga pagbabago at mga paraan ng mga magsasaka upang solusyunan ang problema. This content is in collaboration with Internews and @Earth Journalism Network #earthjournalism #earthjournalismnetwork #earthshorts ♬ original sound - Lost Juan
Travel blogger and Earth Shorts fellow Sandy Jones Pilarca produced a reel highlighting how rising temperatures in the Philippines have affected agriculture—including strawberry production—and how farmers are trying to adapt to these climate impacts.
Gregg Yan, a social media and communications specialist and Earth Shorts mentor, Mentor, emphasized to fellows that climate change is the 'make-or-break' environmental issue of our time: its impacts will define how cities will look, how millions of people will live and die in the coming decades, he said.
“The youth, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are the first generations who grew up with social media as part of daily life. They have the power to positively influence the public perception of key issues like climate change,” said Yan. “We're super honored to help mold the next generation of social media icons, whose voices, shorts and video reels can help spur the change our world needs.”
Jacque Manabat, an independent journalist and content creator and Earth Shorts mentor, urged the group to “redefine what it means to be an influencer.”
“Use your voice not just to gain followers, but to inspire change. Tell stories that uplift, inform, and shape a better future for your audience and the world,” she said.
Look out for the short-form videos produced by these fellows which will be republished on EJN's website and social media platforms early next year.
Banner image: A group photo of Earth Shorts fellows / Credit: Abigail Abigan.
