President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has urged the fourth estate to help the citizenry discern between real information and propaganda at a time when fake news threatens the country's stability and objectivity. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate)
Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Thursday night, April 27, Marcos recognized that the media industry has been facing various issues such as the challenge of ensuring the integrity and credibility of information. "Well, we started with mistaken information, then it became more active, disinformation, and misinformation and now, out-and-out, fake news," Marcos said. He said these are among the negative effects of technological advancement and the social media age. "However, it is something that is to be expected considering how powerful the tool social media has become," he further said. "And like any powerful tool, it cuts both ways. And it is up once again to the KBP to bring a measure of stability, a measure of objectivity, to help our people discern what is the real information and what is propaganda," he added. The President said in this situation, the fourth estate stands as "the stalwart partner of our conscientious and peace-loving citizenry, also of our legitimate and equally conscientious government." He stressed that the press and broadcast media are instrumental in informing the citizenry, in shaping public opinion, and triggering social mobilization and change. "Therefore, I exhort the KBP to continue your very important work with our people and with the government, addressing and remedying the issues and challenges that we face," he said. "Take the lead and foster public discussion, truth and credibility, the rule of law, especially in the practice of broadcasting, news reporting and information-dissemination," he added.

'Continue to be the strong voice'

Marcos also encouraged the KBP to "continue to be the strong voice, it always has been." The chief executive then committed that the government will continue to ensure transparency and good governance, freedom of expression and of the press, and the protection of media practitioners and their rights in the practice of their profession. He also vowed that the government will work hand in hand with the press  to improve the Philippines' ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, where the country sits at 147th place. "Onward to many more decades of important and relevant existence, may you genuinely dedicate them to upholding the truth, freedom, and social justice for the benefit and upliftment of the present and of succeeding generations of Filipinos," he said. The KBP is a non-government and non-profit organization created on April 27, 1973.  It advocates for professional and ethical standards geared toward promoting responsible and free broadcast media, as well as maintaining a relevant role for its members in society when it comes to press freedom.