“Nagkalat na ang fake news lalo na sa SocMed. Marami na ang naniniwala at naloloko nito. Panahon na para ito at tuldukan,” declared Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez, as the country’s leading newspapers and the PCO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on March 4 at Malacañan Palace to combat misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms.
The Manila Bulletin joined other publications in signing the MOU, which seeks to ensure the integrity of news and information and protect the public from “fake news” on social media.
Gomez underscored the urgency of the pact, saying, “At a time when information flows like a digital river — sometimes clear, sometimes muddied — we come together for a common purpose: to address the growing menace of ‘fake news,’ disinformation, and misinformation especially on social media.”
“A healthy democracy depends on an informed public — not misinformed, not misled, not deceived,” he added.
Under the agreement, a framework for cooperation between the PCO and the country’s major daily newspapers—The Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Times, The Philippine Star, Business Mirror, Business World, Daily Tribune, Malaya Business Insight, and Manila Standard—will be established to protect the public from the harms of fake news, with special emphasis on safeguarding vulnerable populations in times of crisis, emergencies, or disasters.
“With this MOU, we commit together to open communication channels for verifying social media claims, exercising prudence to curb the spread of fabricated content. And we will join forces on media literacy initiatives, empowering Filipinos to discern fact from fiction,” Gomez said.
The parties committed to uphold accurate, verified, and responsible reporting while maintaining full respect for press freedom and editorial independence.
Among the agreement’s key objectives are enhancing the dissemination of verified information, strengthening public trust in credible media institutions, promoting media and information literacy, and enabling coordinated and rapid responses to disinformation during crises, emergencies, and disasters.
‘TRUTH IS NOT PARTISAN’
Manila Bulletin Publisher and former press secretary Herminio Coloma, who represented the Manila Bulletin during the signing of MOU, reaffirmed the company’s role as a “reliable platform for verified news and constructive dialogue.”
He stressed that working with the government in the fight against fake news does not protect those in power from scrutiny, but to ensure that public debate rests on facts and reason.
“Truth is not partisan. It is a public good. And together, let us defend it for the sake of our democracy and for generations to come,” he added.
Manila Bulletin President Emil Yap, Executive Editor Ed Bartilad, and senior editorial board members Isabel De Leon and Rocky Nazareno also attended the ceremony, representing the company. (Betheena Unite)
