By Karren Jay G. Asgar
Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on, CPU Office of Communications Director marks a milestone with his scholarly study on social media and peacebuilding published in Indonesia’s Al-Albab Journal. Courtesy: Al-Albab website.
Central Philippine University (CPU) marks another significant academic milestone as Rev. Dr. Francis Neil Gico Jalando-on, Director of the CPU Office of Communications, announces that his scholarly article has been officially published in an Indonesian journal.
In a Facebook post dated June 19, 2025, Rev. Dr. Jalando-on shared: “Just in! An Indonesian journal published my work. This was originally a lecture that I delivered at the International Peace Forum held at CPU. It was expanded later on for publication.”
The article, titled “Harnessing Social Media for Religious Peacebuilding: Faith in the Digital Age,” explores how digital platforms can be strategically used to foster interreligious understanding and promote peace in a world increasingly influenced by online communication. The study was published in Al-Albab (e-ISSN 2502-8340 & p-ISSN 0216-6143), a double-blind peer-reviewed journal released biannually by Pascasarjana IAIN Pontianak in Indonesia.
The article originated from a lecture delivered by Rev. Dr. Jalando-on during the 2nd International Peace Forum on Interfaith Dialogue at Central Philippine University, a two-day event jointly organized by CPU’s College of Theology (COT) and the Pontianak State Institute of Islamic Studies, Indonesia. In his talk on “Social Media in the Pursuit of Peace,” he emphasized the dual nature of social media, its power to connect and advocate as seen in global campaigns like #Peace and TED Talks, and its risks such as misinformation and digital echo chambers. He underscored the need for responsible engagement to make social media a true tool for peacebuilding.
This accomplishment adds to his growing list of recognitions. Notably, according to Mr. Jess Curabo, Director of Our Daily Bread (ODB) Ministries Philippines, Rev. Dr. Jalando-on was the first Filipino to have his devotional article published in the Our Daily Bread Global Edition. The piece appeared on the ODB website on September 8, 2021, and in the July–September 2021 printed edition, with another appearance in the 2022 Philippine edition.
The complete article, “Harnessing Social Media for Religious Peacebuilding: Faith in the Digital Age,” can be accessed through this link: https://jurnaliainpontianak.or.id/index.php/alalbab/article/view/3570 (doi: 10.24260/alalbab.v14i1.3570).