UPHOLDING people’s right to information is key to promoting good governance, said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday, who vowed to boost the government’s digital campaign against disinformation.
The president made the statement at an International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) event in Manila, where he made a strong remark against fake news.
“I reiterate our call not only to the executive branch, but to all branches of government, to genuinely uphold and give effect to the people’s freedom of information in the course of our day-to-day operations, with good faith and with openness,” Mr. Marcos Jr. said in a speech.
“It is a key to our pursuit of good governance, improved public services, and a more progressive and sustainable society,” he added.
The Philippine leader touted the executive branch’s Freedom of Information (FOI) program, which was created through a 2016 executive order by his predecessor.
He acknowledged that the FOI program has advanced the campaign against misinformation and disinformation in the country, which he said is a problem faced by the Philippines and other countries.
“Like everyone here, we too recognize as a matter of principle that fake news should have no place in modern society,” he added.
He said the FOI program “serves as the basis” for the government’s e-governance initiative, which is among his administration’s priorities.
The House of Representatives in March passed the proposed E-Governance Act, which seeks to institutionalize the public sector’s digital shift. A counterpart bill in the Senate is pending at the committee level.
“We work with our legislative branch for the enactment of an e-governance law so as to provide a stronger mandate and a broader reach,” Mr. Marcos said.
The ICIC oversees the implementation of public information policies around the world.
Fact-checking organization VERA Files, in a Dec. 2021 report said election-related online disinformation that year benefited Mr. Marcos the most. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
