May 7, 2021 – The Department of Education (DepEd), through the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), will be conducting an online learning episode on Fake News and Fact-Checking on May 8, 2021, as the last episode of OKKK! Tambayan.

Episode 11 of Online Kahusayan at Katatagan ng Kabataan Tambayan or OKKK! Tambayan is titled “How to Detect Fake News and Fact Check” and will be aired on May 8, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on the DepEd Philippines Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.

“We want to orient our learners on how to detect false information and do their research to validate the information they see online, considering the increased amount of time they have been spending online,” DepEd-DRRMS Director Ronilda Co said.

Mr. Dun Oliver Abiera, Founder and Executive Director of Yabong Philippines, will lead the discussions with student panelists from Region I, IV-A, and XII. The last episode will be closed with a special feature segment for participating student panelists and audience members who have completed all 11 episodes of the program.

The rapid spread of fake news and false information is one of the serious problems in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies have revealed that the so-called “infodemic” has led to COVID-19 related rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories circulating online which had an impact on public health.

Streaming every Saturday, OKKK! Tambayan is one of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) initiatives of the Department being conducted to help ensure the overall well-being of secondary learners in the Philippines.

It was launched in recognition of the possible impact of the new normal on the mental health of students and to guide them on how to develop proper coping mechanisms and take care of their mental health.

OKKK! Tambayan tackles various topics on self-care, self-awareness, fostering healthy relationships, and even topics on the responsible use of social media, cybercrime, and cyberbullying.

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