Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said he supports the Marcos administration’s digital campaign against fake news and any forms of disinformation on the internet. 

Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero (Senate PRIB Photo)

Escudero, however, cautioned the government against introducing additional modules or subjects on the matter in the existing curricula of students in all levels. 

The senator said such a plan needs thorough study and consultation before this can be incorporated.

“Para sa akin ay magandang suhestyon ito pero huwag naman sila agad-agad na maglagay ng karagdagang subjects sa curriculum. Hindi naman ganun kadali iyon at hindi  naman lahat ay kailangan at intresado diyan (This, for me, is a good suggestion but they shouldn’t rush to include new subjects in the curriculum. That’s not easy and not all need or are interested in that subject),” Escudero said in a radio interview over the weekend. 

The government earlier formally announced its planned media literacy campaign to be led by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), in a bid to bolster the Marcos administration’s campaign on disinformation

PCO announced that memorandum of understanding (MOU) formalizing the government’s partnership with other government agencies and social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). 

The PCO will reportedly work in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in introducing media literacy subjects.

However, Escudero said he sees the necessity of including the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as a key partner in the program.

“Huwag tayo padalus-dalos sa pagdagdag o pagbawas o pag-alis sa anumang bagay na nasa curriculum dahil mahabang proseso ang pinagdaanan bago iyan naisama o natanggal (Let’s not rush in adding or removing anything in the present curriculum because it took a long process before that was included or removed),” Escudero said.

“Lalo na sa (Especially in) higher institution, nakabase din iyan sa pangangailangan ng (that is also based on the need of the) workforce kapag sila ay nag-graduate at base rin iyan sa mga board exams na kailangan kunin para maging ganap na professional (when they graduate and its also based on the board exams that students need to take to become fully professional),” Escudero said.

That is why, Escudero said the PCO should include the DICT as a key partner.

“Kung pwede ko imungkahi, ang dapat nilang isama ay ang DICT dahil lumalaganap ang If I can suggest, for them to include the DICT considering how prevalent the) misinformation and disinformation sa iba’t ibang (in different) social media platforms at hindi naman doon sa traditional media na kinagisnan natin na print, radio at TV (and these are not like traditional media that we are used to like print, radio and television,” Escudero pointed out.

“Madalas ang mga fake news ay nasa iba’t ibang social media platforms. Dahil na nga sa internet, bawa’t isa sa atin ay pwedeng pagmulan na ng information, maski na sinuman siya o maski anuman ang edad niya, (Usually fake news can be encountered in different social media platforms. Because of the internet, any one of us can be a source of information, no matter who they are or what their age is),” he pointed out.