National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has called on Philippine media to push back against "corrosive narratives" on issues in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

During a seminar on WPS with the Malacañang Press Corps on Monday, April 29, Año made the same call he made last week to the public, stressing the "tremendous" influence journalists hold in the society.

"On your shoulders rests the crucial and unenviable role of communicating what is happening around us—helping our constituents better understand and appreciate, make informed decisions, and take necessary steps on these developments," Año told journalists.

"We thus call on the media and the public to stand their ground and push back against these malign and corrosive narratives that seek to undermine the national interest," he said.

"The media, most especially, should never fall into a trap which clearly seeks to sow division in our country and weaken our resolve in asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the WPS," he further said.

Año also stated that "these tactics will escalate" in the future "as tensions are expected to boil in the contested waters."

He stressed that it is concerning because people could easily fall into these traps, adding that the government cannot do it alone.

He said the government needs the help of journalists as "harbingers of truth."

"We will need the media to push back against these corrosive narratives for it is not only the government’s interest that is at stake here. Rather, is our country’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdictions that are on the line," he said.

The official emphasized that aiming ourselves with information "that stand on legal ground" is crucial amid the battle against fake news, disinformation, and misinformation.