PCOO steps up campaign vs fake news

MANILA, Philippines — With the midterm elections less than a month away, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) has intensified the campaign against poll-related disinformation.

Broadcast journalist Pia Roces Morato, spokesperson for the PCOO’s dismiss disinformation campaign, said they are bracing for a deluge of fake news as the elections draw near.

“The struggle at the moment is the election season,” Morato said in a recent interview. “Communications Secretary Martin Andanar has tasked us to focus on poll-related disinformation.”

Morato underscored the importance of educating the public about the practice of some candidates to resort to disinformation to get votes.

According to Morato, the public is bound to lose if fake news is allowed to thrive.

“There are candidates who are deserving, but because of false information, they are affected… It causes confusion in communities and it has a negative effect,” she said.

Morato said they are going around the country to intensify the awareness campaign against fake news.

She said they hope that the electorate would be able to properly assess the platforms and track records of the candidates.

Morato said they were meeting with other stakeholders, including local government officials and journalists, to help them in the campaign against fake news.