“Fake news is now worse than illegal drugs.”

Thus, declared Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz as he rued the growing scourge caused by the unabated proliferation of fake news and misinformation in social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.

“Walang (There are no) fact-checkers. Free-for-all. Bahala na kayo (it’s all up to you),” Ruiz told Manila Bulletin (MB) top officials and senior editors during a courtesy call he and other PCO officials made at the MB head office in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday, March 20.

Ruiz was accompanied at the MB office by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro and PCO Assistant Secretary Erel Cabatbat.

They were welcomed by MB Chairman Basilio Yap, MB Vice Chairman and President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III, MB Business Development Manager Jordan Tan, and MB Publisher Herminio “Sonny” Coloma, as well as the newspapers’ senior editors.

MB VISITORS – Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz (fifth from right) and Palace Press Officer PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro (sixth from left) pose with Manila Bulletin (MB) Chairman Basilio C. Yap (center, seventh from right), MB Vice Chairman and President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III (fourth from right), MB Business Development Manager Jordan Tan (sixth from left), MB Publisher Herminio ‘Sonny’ Coloma (fifth from left) and the newspaper’s senior editors at the MB head office in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (John Louie Abrina)

Ruiz said he has been trying to reach out to representatives of these social media platforms in a bid to ask them to, at least, exercise “content moderation”.

“We’re engaging (the social media platforms). We need to help each other,” he noted, while underscoring that these social media platforms have been earning a lot from their postings with the enormous patronage they are enjoying among Filipinos.

WARM WELCOME – Manila Bulletin (MB) Chairman Basilio Yap (right) welcomes Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz (second from left), and Palace Press Officer and PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro at the MB Head Office on Thursday, March 20. (John Louie Abrina)

“They’re not even paying taxes. What we’re just asking is that they help in coming up with a mechanism to come up with safeguards against fake news,” Ruiz added.

He stressed the danger that misinformation and disinformation could pose to young Filipinos.

“How do we protect our children from these fake news? When even a four-year-old can be vulnerable (when he or she goes online)? We, as the government, should do something to protect our people,” Ruiz said.

INTERACTION – Manila Bulletin (MB) Vice Chairman and President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III (right) explains to Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz (left) how the MB Integrated Newsroom works at the MB head office on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Looking on are Palace Press Officer and PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro (second from left) and MB Business Development Manager Jordan Tan. (John Louie Abrina)

Concern for deepfake

The government’s communications head was particularly concerned about the proliferation of deepfake, which has been able to use the image and video of famous personalities and events to spread lies.

From endorsing fake products to producing erroneous testimonies and information, Ruiz decried that information being spread on deepfake have ranged from being annoying to being downright ridiculous.

“Like there are videos of famous artists, that are obviously products of deepfake, making false statements. Yung iba, nakakatawa na (There are others that are downright hilarious),” he said.

“But then, we still cannot underestimate the effect of these deepfake on our people – no matter how ridiculous they are or not,” Ruiz added.

Battling deepfake in May polls

Ruiz’ observations on deepfake came just after the Palace revealed that the government has formed a National Deepfake Task Force and a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered detection tool to combat disinformation and election fraud ahead of the 2025 polls.

In a press briefing in the Palace, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Undersecretary Alex Ramos said the effort is part of a multisectoral campaign to empower the public against the rising threat of deepfakes.

The initiative is led by the PCO, in partnership with the CICC, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) among others.

In line with this, Ramos announced that a new AI-powered tool will be distributed to accredited institutions to help verify deepfake content within 30 seconds. This includes election watchdogs such as the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and Namfrel (National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections); universities; and fact-checking groups.

Congress help

Ruiz also disclosed that his office is set to present a position paper before Congress, which could look into the necessary steps or actions that need to be taken to bolster existing laws, or create new measures, in the country’s battle against fake news.

“We’re seeking the help of Congress. We have to do something about (fake news),” he emphasized.

He said the government should have enough laws to prosecute and “go after the purveyors of these fake news”.