NABUNTURAN, Davao de Oro (PIA) — The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) intends to build an army of “truth-tellers” in organizing the Barangay Information Officers Network (BION) in every municipality nationwide.
Addressing the BION Assembly in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, PIA Deputy Director General for Operations Ares Gutierrez revealed the intention of the PIA and the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), to wage a massive campaign against disinformation and misinformation.
He saw PIA’s alliance with the Barangay Information Officers as important for them to “fight side by side with us government communicators.”
He pitched this call for coalition with BIONs as he cited the Pulse Asia Survey in 2022 revealing that nine in 10 Filipinos or 86 percent “see the proliferation of fake news as a problem in the country.”
Based on that survey, he said most of the fake news came from the internet, particularly from social media, from television and from radio. Some respondents also said they heard fake news from their friends, parents, and community leaders.
He pointed out the need to arm BIOs with knowledge and skills to counter the fake-news-monger commonly called in communities as “Marites.”
“Kining mga Maritess nga dautan ang agenda, ang kinihanglan atubangon sa atong Barangay Information Officers. (These ‘Marites’ who have a negative agenda, should be countered by the Barangay Information Officer),” he said.
“We have to be aggressive and proactive in fighting fake news,” Gutierrez added.
DDG Ares has assured the barangay information officers of PIA’s dedicated assistance saying, “we operate on the mantra that a well-informed individual contributes to the empowerment and development of our communities.”
Gathering some 500 participants, the BION assembly in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro was the second run in Mindanao and the first in the Davao Region. (PIA11/JMD)
