The Marcos administration shall carry out a Digital Media Literacy campaign with the objective of supplying vulnerable communities with knowledge and tools “to be discerning of the truth” against misinformation, according to an official of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
This was announced by PCO Undersecretary Cherbett Karen Maralit during the sidelines of the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) at the UN headquarters in New York.
The PCO was assigned by the House of Representatives to answer the concerns of false information in the digital landscape.
Backed by the budgetary support from the Philippine Congress and its confidence in the leadership of the PCO, Maralit said that they took the opportunity to develop mechanisms that bring the online experiences of females of all ages into focus.
He added that crucially, in this age of plenteous and insistent information, the rights of women and girls continue to be undermined by disinformation and misinformation.
“The PCO, therefore, is positioning itself as a pillar that upholds the rights and welfare of women and girls through a Digital Media Literacy Campaign that will focus on our most vulnerable communities,” Maralit said.
Maralit explained that the campaign aims to equip communities with knowledge, skills, and tools for discerning the truth as they engage in social media.
In order to set up efficient procedures against false information, the two-fold path must involve the collaboration of PCO, private sectors, and stakeholders of the broadcast industry.
Aside from establishing mechanisms against fake news, the PCO will also lead citizens in having the ability to understand false information, incomplete or inaccurate information. Maralit said that the office wants to improve the citizen's ability to think critically and analyze information by first identifying reliable and credible sources.
Maralit added that a thorough study shall be made this month which aims to refine target communities where media literacy is needed, identify social media platforms where fake news is, mostly influenced, and recognize subjects where fake news focuses. Additionally, the study’s goal is to learn influences that create opportunities for misinformation and disinformation.
“When we have gathered the results of this study, expectedly by the middle of this year, we will be implementing a nationwide media literacy campaign that will focus on the areas identified,” Maralit said.
At the end of this year, the office will highlight the campaign with speakers from social media platforms such as Facebook and Google, as well as, the Philippine Commission on Women to share a commitment to the cause, as its closes.
The measures hope that the Department of EducationIn includes Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in the curriculum of basic and secondary education.
Maralit said that the difficulties in including MIL was discussed and that the PCO will work with the public education sector to address the challenges.
“We need the help of MIL experts, specialists, and established organizations to lend their strengths and help us in achieving the kind of Filipino society we wish to see where all are free to realize their best,” Maralit said.
