Presidential Communications Office
Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson on the West Philippines Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela called on the public to unite and evoke patriotism by countering fake news about the government’s efforts in the contentious area.
Tarriela said this in response to growing concerns that certain individuals who have become a mouthpiece of China and particularly active on social media platforms are spreading fake news.
“Dito kasi sa mga peddlers, those people na naging mouthpiece na ng Chinese government, sila yong talagang active sa social media. Sila yong nagsi-share ng kung anu-ano sa Facebook, sa Twitter, sa Instagram. Ngayon, unfortunately yung general public na karamihan ng tao talaga minsan nasi-sway,” he said.
The spokesperson called upon all Filipinos, irrespective of their political affiliations, to come together and support the government. He asserted that the battle over the West Philippine Sea is the battle of every Filipino.
He further urged social media users to take an active role in countering misinformation.
“I’m calling all Filipino na mahilig mag-Facebook, mahilig gumamit ng social media, kung may makakakita kayo ng fake news na lumalabas sa feed ninyo, at least, learn to comment, share the right information,” he said.
“This is the only way na maka-counter natin itong mga fake news peddlers na to. Huwag natin hayaan na mag proliferate ito. Otherwise, sa laban natin sa West Philippine Sea, matatalo tayo,” he added.
Tarriela also assured that through the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, the government has been transparent in its activities and in countering incidents as it asserts sovereignty within the country’s territory.
According to him, it is necessary to raise awareness among Filipinos and counter misinformation that China is not committing any violation against the Philippines. | PND
