By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
With the government continuing to beef up its defenses against an onslaught of falsehoods spreading on the internet, various agencies continue to collaborate with each other to put the brakes on such online mischief.
The latest development in this space saw the joint signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday.
The agreement, signed by PCO Acting Secretary Dave Gomez, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, and DOJ Acting Secretary Frederick Vida, establishes a whole-of-government approach to curb false information that threatens public safety, national security, and democratic institutions.
Such comes as a timely intervention after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s briefing late Monday, where he was quick to slam misinformation about his health and issued a stern warning against fake news peddlers.
Sec. Gomez underscored the urgency of this initiative, “We are confronting a rapidly evolving information landscape where truth is increasingly vulnerable to distortion and manipulation.”
The PCO chief clarified, “This initiative is not about curtailing free expression, but about safeguarding the Filipino people from malicious actors who exploit technology to deceive and divide.”
This agreement would pave the way for joint efforts to monitor, investigate, and prosecute those behind the blatant disinformation campaign against the administration, particularly concerning the President—which translates into a stronger enforcement of legislation such as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
For its part, the PCO will take the helm of government communications while conducting media literacy campaigns to quash misinformation.
The DICT will leverage its technological expertise to strengthen cybersecurity measures and create systems where people can help in reporting such maligned activities.
On the other hand, the DOJ will evaluate cases for prosecution and coordinate international action against transnational disinformation.
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