The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) held a lecture on Foreign Interference and Malign Influence (FIMI) for its cadets at the Lopez Hall of Leaders in Fort General Gregorio H. Del Pilar, Baguio City on November 4, 2026, featuring award-winning journalist Jamela Alindongan as the invited expert.
The PMA's Department of National Security Studies (DNSS), under the Headquarters Academic Group, organized the event as part of its ongoing courses on International Relations and Special Topics in Security Studies, according to a press release authorized by LCDR Jesse Nestor B. Saludo PN, Chief of the PMA's Public Affairs Office.
Lecture Titled "Disinformation and the Threat of a Manipulated World"
Alindongan's lecture centered on the evolving nature of the information environment, emphasizing that it is not static but constantly shifting. She oriented cadets on the objectives and implications of disinformation in relation to their future roles as officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
According to the PMA press release, cadets gained insights into the strategies used by media manipulators, the influence of different countries in the information space, and the actions to avoid when handling information during armed conflict situations.
Alindongan's Background as Al Jazeera Correspondent
Alindongan is a veteran Filipino journalist who spent more than 15 years as a correspondent for Al Jazeera English. She has covered armed conflicts, political developments, and humanitarian crises across the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Ukraine, including extensive reporting from Mindanao, according to the PMA.
During the lecture, she provided cadets with firsthand perspectives on the realities of armed conflict, its impact on civilians, and the challenges they may face as future AFP officers tasked with protecting national sovereignty and security.
Courtesy Call with PMA Superintendent
Alindongan paid a courtesy call to Lieutenant General Michael G. Logico PA, Superintendent of the PMA, who accompanied her throughout her visit to the Academy, the PMA's Office of the Corps Public Affairs noted. During the lecture, Superintendent Logico answered the question of a cadet.
Expert Lectures for Cadets
The PMA said it continuously invites subject matter experts to deliver lectures aligned with its academic courses, with the aim of exposing cadets to real-life experiences and scenarios drawn from people with direct, firsthand knowledge of relevant fields.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of OCPA, PMA