Why the CBCP is challenging Filipinos to disconnect

At a time when public debate about technology is often reduced to extremes, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has offered something refreshingly grounded: not a ban, not a panic, not a moral crusade against gadgets, but an invitation.

The pastoral letter “Fasting Beyond Food: Inviting Christ into Digital Media Use” is not anti-technology. It is pro-human. And that distinction matters.

As someone who has spent decades covering the digital revolution, from dial-up modems to artificial intelligence, I have seen how quickly tools designed to empower can quietly begin to dominate. The CBCP’s call for digital media fasting during Lent 2026 is not about rejecting innovation. It is about reclaiming control.

Technology is a blessing. But constant connectivity is not the same as meaningful connection.

The bishops correctly frame digital fasting as an internal act. This is not about performative deprivation or dramatic announcements of quitting social media. It is about silence, about focus, prayer, and real conversation. In an era where notifications dictate attention and algorithms shape emotion, stepping back is not a weakness. It is discipline.

Let us be honest about the Philippine context. We are one of the most connected people in the world. Screen time averages remain high. Social media drives political narratives, commercial behavior, and even religious engagement. Families sit together yet scroll separately. Children grow up in a world where affirmation is quantified in likes and engagements.

In that environment, the Church’s message is not outdated. It is timely. Digital overstimulation has consequences. That includes fatigue, anxiety, fragmented focus, shortened attention spans, and the erosion of deep reading and contemplation. The bishops are not making a technical argument. They are making a human one.

And the human case is compelling. What strikes me most in the pastoral letter is the framing of technology as something that must serve life rather than dominate it. That principle aligns with sound digital ethics. Tools are neutral. Design incentives are not. Platforms are engineered to maximize engagement. Infinite scroll and autoplay were not created to encourage moderation.

So the responsibility shifts to the user. Digital media fasting, as proposed by the CBCP, is structured and practical. Avoid phones before sleep. Limit social media. Observe device-free meals. Remove distracting apps. Replace screen time with prayer, service, and conversation. These are not radical steps. They are disciplined habits.

And discipline builds freedom. Critics may dismiss this as idealistic or unrealistic. But the alternative is to accept perpetual distraction as normal. That is not progress. That is surrender.

From a technology policy standpoint, I have long argued that governance issues cannot be solved by simplistic solutions such as bans. Personal responsibility and digital literacy are essential components of a healthy digital ecosystem. The bishops are not asking the government to regulate platforms. They are asking individuals to regulate themselves.

That is a powerful shift. There is also a deeper cultural implication. In a society where outrage spreads faster than reflection, digital fasting introduces an intentional pause. Before reacting. Before sharing. Before amplifying misinformation. Silence can be corrective.

For families, the impact could be transformative. Device-free meals are not nostalgic romanticism. They are practical interventions against relational erosion. Weekend digital fasts are not punishment. They are space-making. Space for laughter. For listening. For presence.

As someone who works in media, I do not see this as a threat. I see it as recalibration. Healthy audiences are reflective audiences. People who can step away from screens are better equipped to engage critically when they return.

The bishops conclude that this is not deprivation but transformation. That is perhaps the most important line.

Digital fasting is not about shrinking life. It is about enlarging it.

In the end, the CBCP’s stand is neither alarmist nor naive. It recognizes that the digital world is here to stay. The question is not whether we use digital media. The question is whether digital media uses us.

This Lent, the Church is proposing an experiment in freedom. 

In an era defined by constant connectivity, stepping away may be the most radical choice we can make.