(Photo from Presidential Communications Office Facebook page)
Newly appointed ad interim Secretary Jay Ruiz on Thursday said that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) has ordered the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) to fight the proliferation of fake news, especially in social media, peddling lies and causing social division and antagonism.
In an interview on Net25 Radio Agila’s Kapitbahay program by Weng Dela Fuente aired on March 6, Sec. Ruiz said he accepted the offer for him to lead the PCO because he wanted to fight disinformation and the fake news, lies and hate speech of which he himself was a victim.
“Ang unang order ng pangulo: ‘Jay, gawin natin dapat walang kumakalat na fake news'” (Sec. Ruiz said that the President ordered PCO to stop the spread o fake news.)
Sec. Ruiz called on the vloggers and social media influencers to work together with the PCO toward, at least, some kind of self-regulation or a code of ethics. “Kung saan sinasabi natin na dapat bawal o ipagbawal natin yung kasinungalingan sa online media. Yung hate speech. Yung paninirang-puri sa online media.
He also pointed out that fake news, hate speech and lies being peddled online don’t just stay in the virtual word, but they cross over to the real world, which is a big challenge because this causes division.
“Ang laban ng henerasyong ito ay itong fake news at hate speech at iba pang hindi magagandang nangyayari ay hindi lamang nananatili online kundi naitatawid ito sa tunay na buhay. This causes division.”
In this sense, “ang kinakailangan natin mas malakas ang boses ng ating pamahalaan. E, kung mali naman ang sinasabi nila, pagpapakalat lamang ng fake news … wala bang kapangyarihan ang gobyerno to shine the light of truth on the lies? Dapat ang gobyerno ay guardian ng katotohanan. Dapat ang gobyerno puro katotohanan lalong-lalo na sa mga programa at polisiya nila,” he said.
(In the face of fake news and lies, we need the strong voice of the government. The government possesses the power to shine the light of truth on the lies. The government must be the guardian of the truth. The government must speak the truth, especially about its policies and programs.)
Pressed on whether the proposed measure could entail censorship, Ruiz said, “it doesn’t constitute censorship. If they are spreading lies and fake news, the government has the power that comes with equal responsibility. The PCO has the duty to speak for the truth.
PCO’s plan
Secretary Ruiz said the PCO would create fact-checking teams. “Our fact-checkers would make sure that all posts online, especially about national security, government policies, and government programs are purely true, because the foundation of PCO’s message is truthful facts.”
He added that in this endeavor, the “whole-of-nation” approach is needed. The PCO needs the support of the public. The public must clamor for the end of lies, and some vloggers and influencers are overstepping red lines. People must say “tama na, sobra na.”
He reiterated that those who are spreading fake news and hate speech online must be regulated. “Kinakalaingan na nating i-regulate, bigyan ng code of ethics, at the least, itong mga taong nagpapakalat ng fake news.”
Through this, the programs and policies of the Marcos administration will be clearly understood down to the grassroots, and the information from the PCO will be heard, seen and felt by the people.
