MANILA — At least 40 social media personalities have been invited as resource persons to the first hearing of the House Tri-Comm investigating the spread of fake news and disinformation in the country.

The hearing, scheduled for February 4, 2025, will be conducted by the Committees on Public Order and Safety, Public Information, and Information and Communications Technology.

Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, who will preside over the hearing, stressed the hearings will examine how disinformation spreads online, its impact on public perception and national security, and the measures needed to combat it.

The chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety emphasized the need to protect Filipinos from false information intended to mislead and divide.

“Ang mga Pilipino ay may karapatan sa katotohanan. Dapat protektahan natin ang ating mga kababayan laban sa maling impormasyong nagdudulot ng takot at pagkakawatak-watak sa ating lipunan,” Fernandez said.

The 40 invited resource persons are known for their influence on social media platforms, where they engage in political discourse, news analysis, and online commentary.

The list includes Malou Tiquia, Jose Yumang Sonza, Krizette Lauretta Chu, Mark Anthony Lopez, Allan Troy “Sass” Rogando Sasot, MJ Quiambao Reyes, Vivian Zapata Rodriguez, Ethel Pineda, Lorraine Marie Tablang Badoy-Partosa, Jeffrey Almendras Celiz, Lord Byron Cristobal (Banat By), Alex Destor (Tio Moreno), Aaron Peña (Old School Pinoy), Glen Chong, Manuel Mata Jr. (Kokolokoy), Elizabeth Joie Cruz (Joie De Vivre), Claro Ganac, Claire Eden Contreras (Maharlika Boldyakera), Jonathan Morales, Cyrus Preglo (Optics Politics), Maricar Serrano, Ernesto S. Abines Jr. (Jun Abines), Atty. Trixie Cruz Angeles, Julius Melanosi Maui (Maui Spencer), Darwin Salceda (Boss Dada TV), Elmer Jugalbot (Eb Jugalbot), Cathy Binag, MJ Mondejar, Suzanne Batalla (IamShanwein), Joe Smith Medina (Political Witch Boy), Jeffrey G. Cruz (JCCO / JJ Cruz), Alven L. Montero, Kester Ramon John Balibalos Tan (Mr Realtalker), Edwin Jamora (Reyna Elena), Ma Florinda Espenilla-Duque (Pebbles Duque), Dr. Richard Tesoro Mata (Dr. Richard and Erika Mata), Ahmed Paglinawan (Luminous by Trixie & Ahmed), Ryan Lingo, Atty. Enzo Recto (Atty. Ricky Tomotorgo), and Ross Flores Del Rosario (Wazzup Philippines).

The hearing will also feature representatives from Google, Meta (Facebook), and ByteDance (TikTok), as well as officials from the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and the Department of Justice, who are expected to discuss regulatory challenges and enforcement mechanisms against online disinformation.

Fernandez said the inquiry seeks to identify weaknesses in existing laws and policies governing digital platforms and to propose solutions to ensure the public has access to accurate and reliable information.

He added that the House will not tolerate deliberate misinformation campaigns that exploit digital platforms for political or financial gain.

“Hindi natin hahayaang gamitin ang social media upang linlangin ang ating mga kababayan. Panahon na upang maipatupad ang mas mahigpit na batas upang labanan ang fake news at disinformation,” he said.

House members are expected to explore measures that will strengthen platform accountability, impose penalties for repeat offenders, and improve digital literacy programs to help Filipinos critically evaluate online content.

The hearing will be livestreamed for public viewing, with lawmakers hoping it will spark a national conversation on responsible online discourse and the role of social media in shaping public perception.

ia/mnm

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Acknowledging the Pulse Asia survey that bared 86% of Filipinos believe that fake news is a problem in the country, Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap have jointly filed a bill seeking to penalize online platforms that ostensibly spread fake news.

Jointly authored by Duterte and Yap, House Bill 9422 said that any online platform, such as websites, using a computer system or other electronic medium that fails to act or conduct an investigation on reports of fake news within their respective platforms shall be held liable for a fine of P2 million.

“Given the potential hazards of spreading fake news, it is imperative to penalize those who seek to create and disseminate fake news, most especially through the use of social media,” Duterte and Yap said.

In their explanatory note of HB 9422, they cited the Pulse Asia survey in 2022 that claimed 86% of Filipinos believe that fake news is a problem in the country.

Under the measure, fake news refers to any information, story, news, or fact deliberately distorted, altered, changed, or manipulated by any person with malicious intent which is presented as a fact, the veracity of which cannot be confirmed, with the intent of distorting a fact or proliferating false information and misleading its audience.

If passed, it will amend the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10175).

(IAmigo/MNM)

THE Media Information Literacy Initiative (MIL) of the government has gained strong support from the House of Representatives, providing a significant boost to the ongoing battle against the proliferation of fake news within the country.

Aio Bautista, the lead convenor of the non-government organization Philippine Transportation and Communication Advocates (PTCA), shared this encouraging development on Wednesday.

“This support is expected to bolster the MIL, which is an initiative of the Presidential Communications Office and it would play a very crucial role in our country’s fight against false information,” Bautista said.

Initially, the MIL aims to empower educators in state universities and colleges (SUCs) to combat the spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.

Bautista further explained that, “At the outset, the MIL intends to empower educators in state universities and colleges (SUCs) to combat the proliferation of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.”

But Bautista added that “if the House provides additional funding in the coming years, the initiative’s scope can expand to include private schools.”

This sentiment aligns with the statement made earlier by Rep. Stella Quimbo, the lawmaker from Marikina’s Second District, who serves as the author and budget endorser of the MIL initiative.

Quimbo emphasized the importance of inclusivity but acknowledged the current budget constraints, which will initially focus on SUCs.

“We aim to make this initiative as inclusive as possible, but the current budget allocation is somewhat limited. Consequently, our initial phase will focus on state universities and colleges (SUCs). Nevertheless, with the generosity of Congress in the future, we hope to broaden our reach,” Quimbo was qoted by the working media as saying.

Notably, the initiative also received support from Congresswoman France Castro of the ACT TEACHERS Party-list, who expressed solidarity with the PCO’s MIL campaign and endorsed the proposed budget increase.

Castro stated, “I stand in solidarity with this proposed digital media and information literacy campaign, and I concur with our esteemed sponsor that the budget should be expanded. I will lend my support to such endeavors.”

According to Bautista, the Marcos administration has allocated a budget of P16.899 million for the implementation of its MIL campaign this year, drawn from its total proposed budget of P1.7 billion for 2024.

This program primarily focuses on educating teachers and equipping them to become trainers, enabling them to educate students on how to differentiate between fake news and authentic information.

Launched on August 14, 2023, this initiative boasts key public sector partners, including the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Cooperation from tech giants such as Google (YouTube), Meta (Facebook, Instagram, and Threads), TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) is also anticipated to play a significant role in executing this project,” stressed Bautista. (AI/MNM)