President Marcos warns vs fake news

Calls out election mudslinging

MANILA, Philippines — As the election season heats up, so does fake news, President Marcos warned Filipinos yesterday.

In his new vlog posted on YouTube, Marcos urged Filipinos to be more circumspect on what they see in social media.

He said the new Filipino knows how to distinguish between accurate and wrong information.

“Along with the campaign are intrigues and mudslinging called fake news. These are everywhere – so we citizens should be careful,” Marcos said in Filipino. “We should be extra careful with what we read online.”

Despite the persistence of fake news and disinformation online, Marcos said he was elated by the number of people joining the campaign rallies of the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas in different places.

“The campaigning of our senatoriables has started, so I am accompanying them as long as the schedule allows,” the President said.

“One of the things I enjoy about the rallies we go to is that I see those who support us in the alliance. They are real people, real Filipinos, they are not just keyboard warriors or trolls, they are real people,” he noted.

Marcos said the best part of the campaign is being able to talk directly to the people.

“Another thing that cannot be faked are the real testimonies of our countrymen themselves about government programs,” the Chief Executive added.

Marcos has joined the campaign rallies of the administration senatorial bets in Ilocos Norte, Iloilo City, Davao del Norte, Pasay City, Dumaguete City, Bacolod and Bulacan.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro earlier pushed for a law penalizing those involved in online trolling.

“So it is really necessary to have a law regarding troll armies. It should have a penalty. This should be considered a criminal act because, as I said, it is like a syndicate,” Castro said in a television interview on Thursday.

Trial voting

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections is urging the public to try out the new automated counting machines (ACM) and experience casting their votes ahead of the May 2025 midterm polls.

The Comelec’s Education and Information Department is holding the ACM Voting Experience behind the FEMII Building in Intramuros from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on holidays.

“We take it also as an opportunity to inform them about our efforts against dis/misinformation and vote-buying/selling,” Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said.

While walk-ins are welcome, Laudiangco advised people to book their schedules online due to a daily quota of visitors allowed. — Mayen Jaymalin