The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and the Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Center (CICC) have formalized a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to strengthen the government’s efforts against fake news and scam activities.
The agreement designates the Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC) Hotline 1326 as the national anti-scam hotline and promotes the eGOVPH application’s e-Report function for scam reporting.
The collaboration will also focus on anti-scam and deepfake education campaigns, and integrate vital news information into the eGOVPH application. A national task force will be established, and an artificial intelligence (AI) application will be utilized to combat misinformation and disinformation, particularly deepfakes.
The National Deepfake Task Force, led by the PCO, will utilize an AI tool to detect deepfake content, with approximately P2 million allocated for the software.
The CICC reports a surge in deepfake cases, with around 200 reported in recent weeks, highlighting the need for immediate action. The initiative also aims to empower civil society organizations involved in media literacy, fact-checking, and combating disinformation.