A Decade of #MILinAction
In September 2024, OOTB marked its 10th anniversary – a full decade of #MILinAct10n. Today, OOTB continues its pioneering work in producing MIL resources and programs for Filipino learners and educators, and organizing advocacy campaigns on counter-disinformation, press freedom, digital rights, and civic participation.
Out of The Box – OOTB for short – was co-founded by three University of the Philippines – Diliman alumni, Sarah Torres, Marlon Nombrado, and Darlene Cay. Back then, in 2014, our simple hope was for Filipinos, regardless of age and background, to be equipped to not just consume media responsibly, but also to use their voices to advocate for social change.
The “box” in Out of The Box refers to television (hence, the TV color bars reference in the org logo) and other media technologies that have immense power to influence our behaviors and worldviews. Aligned with the critical approach to Media Literacy, OOTB from the very beginning has advocated for viewing, using, and learning about media with new and non-conformist perspectives.
We started with workshops for college and high school students, then later branched out to training teachers, too, when MIL was introduced in the K-to-12 curriculum. In 2016, we saw for the first time how the elections became a battlefield for facts online. Widespread disinformation and hate speech only made our mission much clearer: We’re not simply promoting media literacy for its sake, we’re standing up for our rights and for democracy.
We continued to train more students and teachers with workshops and competitions all over the country, and we produced exciting educational materials. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as trust in the media declined and internet risks surged, OOTB launched several projects that addressed the crisis at hand. These projects earned international recognition while being featured in the media and cited in academic publications. These further validated OOTB’s commitment to innovation and leadership.
As technologies evolve, so are the ways we consume, create and connect with each other. These changes bring both opportunities and challenges which Out of The Box has fully embraced. We will continue to launch more campaigns, and produce more learning resources and programs to mainstream critical and civic-oriented MIL in the country. Now more than ever, we need every Filipino to interrogate, create, and participate.
Will you be part of our mission? Together, let’s go out of the box!
Our Team
Sarah Torres
Co-Founder and Head of Operations and Partnerships
Sarah Torres is a development worker and advocate of media literacy education. Apart from OOTB, she works with IBON International, a civil society organization covering global development policy and practice and socio-economic issues viewed from the perspective of the global South. Her research interests are women, indigenous peoples, and conflict and security.
Outside work, Sarah enjoys travelling, reading, going to museums, and freediving.
Marlon Julian Nombrado
Co-Founder and Head of Programs and Communications
Marlon Julian Nombrado is a critical media literacy educator with nine years of teaching experience in both formal and informal settings. Along with OOTB, he was awarded First Prize in the 2021 UNESCO Global MIL Awards. He has participated in several leadership programs here and abroad including the International Visitor Leadership Program, Salzburg Global Seminar, and World Expression Forum.
Marlon enjoys watching sports, cooking, and spending quality time with his fiancé.
Paolo Miguel Ordonio
Program Manager
Paolo Miguel Ordonio is a passionate development worker with over seven years of experience in media and information literacy and community empowerment. As a MIL champion, he managed multiple local and international MIL projects and has been actively involved in MIL training and workshops for various sectors in the Philippines and the ASEAN region.
Pao is a huge fan of local series and movies, and loves to do karaoke (a lot).
Maty Dominong
Administrative and Finance Manager
Maty Dominong is a results-oriented finance professional with over a decade of experience leading financial operations for private and non-profit organizations. As a development worker, she strives to contribute to a just and equitable society where all individuals, particularly Indigenous Peoples, can thrive, driven by a commitment to service.
When not at work, Maty enjoys spending time with her family and five pets, singing, playing her ukulele, and connecting with nature.
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