Filmmaker, Advocates Tackle Disinformation, Champion Voter Literacy Ahead of 2025 Elections
In preparation for the upcoming May 2025 Philippine Midterm Elections, Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU), through its Center for Futures Thinking and Regenerative Development, the Center for Gender and Development, and the Voices for Transformation and Emancipation (VoTE) Program, in partnership with forumZFD Davao, Media Educators of Mindanao, and the Holy Cross of Davao College, organized a film screening of A Brief History of the Escherian Stairwell on April 28, 2025, at the DOrSU Student Center.
The event was designed to strengthen voter awareness and resilience against disinformation, and to address the escalating challenges of disinformation, political polarization, and the psychological impact of misinformation, while emphasizing the crucial role of voter literacy in the digital age.
Drawing from the viral phenomenon of the Escherian Stairwell—a fabricated yet convincing hoax video created by Michael Lacanilao—the event explored how easily false information can shape public belief. In the said short film, Lacanilao illustrated how powerful and persuasive false narratives can be, especially during pivotal periods like elections.
The event also featured a forum with a distinguished panel of discussants, headlined by the filmmaker himself, who recounted the compelling origin story of his 30-minute film. Initially developed in 2012 as his thesis project at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the film introduces a fictional, physics-defying staircase that convincingly blurred the lines between reality and illusion. Lacanilao reflected on how the project unexpectedly went viral and the unintended consequences that followed, underscoring how a carefully crafted hoax foreshadowed today’s disinformation landscape.
Joining him in the panel discussion were several speakers who brought diverse and valuable perspectives to the conversation. Jill Palarca, Training Officer at MindaNews, offered insights into the media’s struggles in combating disinformation while preserving credibility and trust. Alex Mwangi, Project Manager of forumZFD Davao, analyzed the real-world political consequences of unchecked disinformation. Dr. Mary Fil M. Bauyot, VoTE Program Leader and a faculty member of DOrSU’s Psychology program, discussed the psychological effects and mental health consequences of persistent misinformation, while Riehl Justin Cortez, a campus journalist, emphasized the active role of youth in fighting election-related fake news and promoting responsible information sharing.
Throughout the event, speakers drew compelling links between disinformation and peacebuilding communication. They emphasized that the viral success of the Escherian Stairwell hoax was made possible by professional storytelling techniques, such as repetition, emotional appeal, and credibility building, that are now commonly weaponized in political disinformation campaigns. False claims about electoral fraud, vote-buying, and violence, if left unchallenged, can potentially escalate social divisions, foster conflict, and deteriorate public mental health by increasing anxiety and distrust.
This initiative reflects DOrSU’s strong commitment, under the leadership of Dr. Roy G. Ponce, to fostering a well-informed, critical, and empowered electorate. As the May 2025 Midterm Elections draw nearer, DOrSU continues to stand at the forefront of efforts to combat election-related disinformation and strengthen democratic values among the Filipino youth and citizenry.
