Franz Manlutac, a Program Officer from IDEALS (Initiatives and Dialogue for Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services), a Philippines-based NGO, shared her transformative experience after participating in the SAFER Workshop. Organised by SEAN-CSO at Deakin Lancaster Indonesia (DLI) and facilitated by PeaceGeneration (PeaceGen) Indonesia, practitioners from various sectors gathered for four days to equip themselves with new mindsets, toolsets, and skill sets to effectively counter hate speech.
Franz’s story provides a clear picture of how creative approaches and technology can transform the way we build peace in the digital age.
Frontline Challenges: Hate Speech and Disinformation in the Philippines
As part of the Peace Building and Communication for Development unit, Franz and his organisation, IDEALS, face complex challenges. “One of the challenges we face, aside from the recruitment of violent extremists, especially in Mindanao, is countering disinformation and misinformation about community-based issues,” Franz explained.
This disinformation not only hinders peacekeeping efforts but also undermines human rights enforcement, especially for vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities, women, and children. IDEALS, which works directly with youth leaders and local community patrols, is striving to protect communities from harmful narratives spreading rapidly online. The question then arises: how can we counter negative narratives without inadvertently amplifying them?
Paradigm Shift: Three Key Insights from the SEAN-CSO Workshop
The SEAN-CSO workshop was not a typical training session. It was an ideas laboratory that brought participants together with experts in technology, storytelling, and creative media. For Franz, there were three concepts that were most memorable and applicable to his work.
1. The Power of Alternative Positive Narratives
The first and most fundamental insight is the use of alternative positive narratives. Instead of merely refuting misinformation, this approach focuses on creating and spreading new, positive, and inclusive stories.
“I strongly believe that the concept of alternative positive narratives is crucial, especially when addressing disinformation in peace and conflict issues,” said Franz. “It can definitively reframe narratives and open space for more inclusive dialogue and more humane pathways to peace.”
For IDEALS, which aims to cultivate a new generation of change-makers and storytellers, this strategy provides a clear direction: building narratives of hope, collaboration, and social justice that can drown out narratives of hatred.
2. Gamification: Engaging Young People in a Relevant Way
Reaching young people in the digital age requires more than just seminars and brochures. Given the ‘shortening attention span but high enthusiasm’ among young people, the concept of gamification is a brilliant solution.
“One of the shifts in mindset I gained was seeing games as a tool to promote the ideology of peacebuilding and human rights,” Franz shared. Previously, he saw games solely as entertainment or competition. However, this workshop opened his eyes to the fact that game elements, such as points, levels, and challenges, can be integrated into training and capacity-building sessions.
This approach makes learning interactive, engaging, and enjoyable, ensuring that important messages about peace and justice are effectively received and internalised by young people.
3. Cross-Sector Collaboration
Although not explicitly mentioned as a key point, Franz’s impression of the workshop highlighted the importance of collaboration. He was grateful for the opportunity to engage with development practitioners not only in the development sector but also in technology, research, sociology, and all these different sectors.’
This cross-sector dialogue is invaluable because the issue of hate speech cannot be resolved by one party alone. It requires the expertise of technologists, the deep understanding of sociologists, and the field experience of activists to create holistic solutions.
Call to Action: Post-Workshop Action Plan
Returning with new knowledge and inspiration, Franz and IDEALS have formulated a clear call to action. “Our goal now is to seek alternative positive narratives and collaborate more with other organisations, individuals, and communities,” she emphasised.
At the core of this action plan is a commitment to ensure that every initiative they create is always ‘rooted in the community and always for the community.’ With this approach, they not only counter negative narratives but also build a strong and empowered community foundation.
Conclusion: A Blueprint for Hope
Franz Manlutac’s experience at the SEAN-CSO workshop is a clear example that the fight against hate speech and extremism is not a futile struggle. By embracing creative storytelling, gamification, and close collaboration, civil society organisations can transform the digital landscape from a battlefield into a space for dialogue.
This workshop, which Franz described as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,’ is more than just a knowledge transfer. It is about building connections, sparking conversations, and inspiring a shift in mindset. Ultimately, the transformative story from the SEAN-CSO workshop offers a blueprint of hope for peace advocates across Southeast Asia, proving that with the right tools and a collaborative spirit, positive narratives will always find their way to shine.
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SEAN-CSO provides a platform for civil society organisations in Southeast Asia to network and share resources. Through this network, members can support each other, share knowledge, and coordinate efforts to address the region’s social challenges. In doing so, SEAN-CSO contributes to strengthening the voice of civil society at both regional and international levels.