“Don’t be afraid to raise questions.”
This was the key message of Dr. Gladys P. Mangiduyos, Vice President for Administration and Planning at Wesleyan University-Philippines (WUP) and Critical Thinking Scholar at the Foundation of Critical Thinking, during the second installment of Critical Thinking in an Age of Noise held on October 10, 2025, at the University Ecumenical Chapel.
Aiming to emphasize the importance of asking questions—especially in today’s time of widespread misinformation about the frequent disasters such as earthquakes in the Philippines—the event focused on helping graduating students from the College of Nursing develop strong analytical skills.
“Don’t be afraid to raise questions… If you are not a critical thinker, you will easily believe whatever you see on social media…But how do we find out whether that is true or not?” Dr. Mangiduyos stressed, encouraging students to think beyond the surface.
“We always just ask convergent questions—where, what, when. But with divergent, we ask why, how, what if?” she explained, encouraging students to be more reflective and discerning in their everyday decision-making.
Throughout her presentation, Dr. Mangiduyos underscored the value of the principle “Pause, Ask, and Choose” when responding to information—inspiring students to slow down, reflect, and make thoughtful decisions rather than accepting things at face value.
The Critical Thinking Convocation is a series that will run for seven months, a university-wide initiative designed to equip all graduating students with essential critical thinking skills.
by Ayumi San Cai Valerio (PIO)
Photos courtesy of John Carlo Dauz (PIO)
