Social Media must Lead People Beyond the Screen, Says Filipino Catholic Communication Expert

Social media should serve as an entry point to deeper human encounters rather than become the final destination for Gospel communication, said Filipino communication expert and filmmaker Pie Mabanta-Fenomeno.

In an interview with Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) ahead of the Asian Catholic Digital Influencer Assembly 2026, Ms. Pie Mabanta-Fenomeno said digital platforms have opened communication to ordinary people, allowing them not only to consume content but also to create, participate and engage in dialogue.

However, she stressed that digital communication becomes meaningful only when it promotes human dignity, digital justice, authentic community and the common good.

“Social media must remain an entry point, never the destination,” Mabanta-Fenomeno said, comparing short-form digital content to an appetizer that should encourage people to seek deeper and more meaningful engagement.

She warned that relying only on short and fast-moving digital content can contribute to a culture that is “shallow, impatient, and gullible.” She encouraged both creators and audiences to move beyond the screen toward substantive conversations and real-life encounters.

For Church media workers and young people, she said authentic digital witness also requires responsible communication practices rather than simply pursuing likes, followers or viral content.

Mabanta-Fenomeno encouraged digital communicators to become “amplifiers for the voiceless,” advocates for change and storytellers with purpose, using their platforms to highlight marginalized communities, challenge injustice and protect human dignity.

She also reminded digital missionaries that communication is more than self-expression. It is a vocation to promote truth, justice, peace and the integrity of creation.

“Step out of the center,” she urged digital missionaries, encouraging them to tell stories that reveal God’s presence in both extraordinary experiences and the ordinary moments of daily life.

“Do not settle for being a commercial content creator chasing applause,” she said, calling on Catholic communicators to use their skills so that the “living face of God” can be recognized and encountered across Asia.

Mabanta-Fenomeno is a strategic communication expert, filmmaker and educator, and the current president of SIGNIS Philippines and an elected board member of SIGNIS Asia. She previously served as executive director of the Communication Foundation for Asia and has led regional media training initiatives for Church media workers and youth.

Her reflections come ahead of the Asian Catholic Digital Influencer Assembly 2026, themed “Influencers to Witnesses: Synodal Way for Digital Mission in Asia.” The gathering will be held from September 10–13, 2026, at the Radio Veritas Asia campus in Fairview, Philippines, organized by the FABC Office of Social Communication (FABC-OSC) and Radio Veritas Asia (RVA).

The Assembly seeks to encourage Catholic digital communicators across Asia to move beyond influence and visibility toward a more authentic, collaborative and synodal digital mission.