By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Robin Padilla has on Wednesday (22 Nov 2023) urged the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) to bolster its public information and awareness campaign to combat misinformation on issues in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In Senate Resolution 864, Padilla requested the PCO to elucidate the documents and agreements underpinning the government’s actions in the WPS.
“The national government, through its communication arm, the PCO, should effectively communicate the relevant legal documents, international treaties, and bilateral and multilateral agreements to the public in an understandable manner,” the resolution stated.
The resolution further specified that part of the PCO’s mission is to communicate and disseminate the administration’s policies, priority programs, and projects through the media.
As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, Padilla emphasized the importance of the PCO providing clear, up-to-date, and accurate information as the country’s security landscape evolves.
The PCO will specifically elucidate the documents and agreements forming the basis of Philippine policies and actions in the West Philippine Sea, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, and the Reciprocal Access Agreement.
(ai/mnm)
