Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar enjoined the Filipino community in London to be advocates for fighting disinformation about the government’s cornerstone policies.
The PCOO held a film-showing session of the anti-illegal drug documentary film “Gramo” on Friday, February 21, 2020, at the Philippine Embassy in London.
It also presented to the international community a journal containing facts about the anti-illegal drug campaign, entitled: “Saving The Future of a Nation: Countering Hard Drugs
“We hope that both the documentary and the magazine will help enlighten everyone on the multi-dimensional approach the government is taking to address the problem of illegal drugs,” Secretary Andanar said.
“This is not something that can be done by the government alone, nor with just a handful of agencies and civilian volunteers. It requires the participation of everyone,” he added.
Copies of both the documentary film and the magazine were distributed to the Philippine Embassy and members of the Filipino community in attendance, to widen the reach of the international campaign of disseminating accurate narratives about the anti-illegal drug campaign.
“Let us begin with the support of the family, the neighborhood, the church, and the media, combined with the government’s effort, until the whole-of-nation converges for the care of one drug addict at a time, all the time,” the PCOO Secretary said.
Commenting after the film-showing session, British personality Malcom Conlan lauded the President’s hardline stance in ridding the country from the drug menace.
“Shabu has ruined so many peoples’ lives. And its very good that President Duterte is combating the spread of shabu. It’s impossible to save every drug addict, but I think what you can do is you can make a real difference, and I think that’s what the President is doing,” Conlan said.
“Sadly, there’s a lot of fake news. And this is something that’s being combated. And I think it’s very good that the PCOO is doing this roadshow. There have been criticisms in the past that maybe people aren’t doing enough to spread the real message,” he added.
Other collaterals distributed include the Duterte Legacy Magazine, which features the beneficiaries of the government’s education-related programs and policy; the Duterte Legacy Accomplishment Journal; and the special edition of Balita Central about the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Following the London leg, the PCOO will bring “Gramo” to the Filipino community and the international media Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretary will deliver the Philippine dignitary statement at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC43) High Level Segment on February 26, 2020 in Geneva.
