Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval called on her fellow candidates to elevate the level of public discourse during the election season by avoiding misinformation and disinformation and instead focusing on meaningful and constructive dialogue.
The statement came after a series of misleading posts circulated on several social media pages targeting the city government’s programs and achievements, allegedly aimed at discrediting the administration.
"Katulad po ng aking naunang pahayag, hindi na po bago ang paglaganap ng fake news. Ngunit, alam po natin na ang mga ito ay may iisang layunin - ang manira ng kapwa at ilihis ang mga kaalaman at paniniwala ng mga mamamayan mula sa katotohanan (As I previously stated, the spread of fake news is nothing new. However, we know that these are all driven by a single goal — to discredit others and to mislead the public away from the truth),” she said.
“At nakikita po natin ang mga 'yan ngayong panahon ng eleksyon, kung saan ibinabahagi ng ilang mga social media pages ang mga maling balita na walang tunay na basehan upang ibahin ang konteksto o detalye ng ating mga programa at tagumpay (And we can clearly see these during election season, when certain social media pages spread fake news without any real basis to distort the real context or details of our programs and achievements),” she said.
She emphasized how such tactics become more rampant during the election season.
“Kaya paulit-ulit po ang ating paalala sa ating mga mahal na Malabueño na patuloy na maging responsableng mga netizens (That’s why we continuously remind our beloved Malabueños to remain responsible netizens),” Sandoval added.
Sandoval also encouraged her fellow candidates to engage in respectful public forums and discussions to present their platforms, performance, and visions for the city and to reflect their true commitment to public service by avoiding fake news.
"Alam ko po na nais tayong marinig ng ating kapwa mamamayan dahil sila ang pipili ng mga lider na magdadala sa kanila sa mas magandang kinabukasan. Kung ito'y kailanganin man po, mas mabuti para sa akin ang paraan na ganito upang mas maipakita natin sa ating kapwa Malabueno ang pagiging totoo, kung sino tayo bilang mga lider, at ang ating sinseridad sa pagseserbisyo. Mas maganda po na mag-usap ng tapatan at hindi gamitin ang social media para manira dahil ito ay isang paraan na hindi makakatulong sa pag-unlad ng ating bayan (I understand that our fellow citizens want to hear from us because they are the ones who will choose the leaders who will lead them to a better future. If needed, I believe this kind of approach is better—so we can genuinely show our fellow Malabueños who we are as leaders and our sincerity in serving the public. It’s much better to have honest, face-to-face conversations rather than using social media to spread negativity, because that kind of approach does not contribute to the progress of our city),” she said.
Sandoval also reminded residents to be discerning consumers of online content especially with the increasing prevalence of misinformation during the campaign period.
She encouraged the public to rely on official and trusted sources, such as the city government's Facebook pages, for accurate information and updates on city services and initiatives.
Additionally, the mayor also confirmed that her legal team is now looking into possible legal action against those who spread false information, once identified.
"Handa man po tayo na sagutin ang mga paninirang iyan, ay mas pinagtutuunan po natin ng pansin ang ating mga kababayan. Patuloy tayong magseserbisyo para sa kanila kasabay ng ating pagpapaalala na patuloy na maging mapagmatyag, mapanuri, at matalinong gumagamit ng social media (While we are ready to respond to those malicious accusations, our focus remains on serving our fellow citizens. We will continue to deliver public service for them, while also reminding everyone to stay vigilant, discerning, and responsible when using social media),” she said.
Residents are encouraged to follow these official platforms for legitimate updates and announcements:
Mayor Jeannie Sandoval: facebook.com/share/1B9vD7p8BR
Malabon City Government: facebook.com/MalabonCityGov
Malabon TV and other official department pages of the city government.