Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar led a roundtable discussion tackling fake news at the Seda Hotel North Vertis in Quezon City on Sept. 10.
With the theme “Countering Fake News and Communicating the Right Information”, Sec. Andanar described the negative effects caused by such news.
Sec. Andanar, who is also currently Chairperson of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI), mentioned the importance of such a discussion in collaboration with the neighbors in the region as this predicament also affects other countries.
The roundtable discussion focused primarily on four topics under the theme of fake news. The said topics were the following: “Experiences on Fake News”; “Practical Measures to Counter Fake News”; “Possible Government Initiatives to Ensure that the Right Information is Communicated”; and “Possible Cooperation Initiatives on Countering Fake News and Communicating the Right Information.”
The gathering of 32 information ministers from the ASEAN region, information sector sub-committee chairmen, officials from ASEAN member countries and officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) of Japan were made possible through the efforts of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).
The Japanese delegates served as observers during the discussion.
The AMRI leaders each shared their particular experiences in combating fake news in their respective countries by implementing measures such as laws to control content on the internet at the same time apprehending fake social media accounts.
The AMRI leaders also considered the vital role of online social media companies in combating the spread of fake news.
ASEAN Secretariat Deputy Secretary General Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee with other members of the ASEAN Ministers for Responsible Information (AMRI) delegation
To this end, Sec. Andanar pushed for a dialogue with companies such as Google and Facebook in order to highlight the relevance of social media networks as a partner in combating fake news by presenting nothing but the truth in their websites.
Sec. Andanar also proposed a mechanism that will constantly monitor news coming from the ASEAN member states, most especially news dealing with pressing issues. This would serve as the nerve center to be named as the ASEAN Communication Center (ACC) based in the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In line with this, the head of PCOO also mentioned the possibility of reviving the ASEAN News Exhange Mechanism (ANEX) headed by officials of news agencies in the ASEAN region.
Meanwhile, Atty. Oscar Franklin Tan, a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was also tapped to share some practical steps on how to deal with and suppress the spread of fake news online.
After the discussion, the ASEAN leaders proceeded to the ASEAN-Japan TV Festival held at the nearby Trinoma Mall Activity Center.
The Philippine delegation headed by Sec. Andanar composed of PCOO Undersecretary Noel George Puyat, People’s Television Network General Manager Dino Apolonio, Philippine Information Agency Director General Harold Clavite, Radio Television Malacañang Executive Director Demic Pabalan, Radyo Pilipinas Director Rizal Aportadera, Mula Sa Masa Para Sa Masa Director Benjie Felipe, and PCOO Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan.
On the other hand, the lead foreign delegates were Mohd Riza bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yunos of Brunei Darussalam, Ly Vannhong of Cambodia, Rosarita Niken Widiastuti of Indonesia, Savankhone Razmountry of Laos, Dato’ Jailani Bin Johari of Malaysia, Dr. Pe Myint of Myanmar, Chee Hong Tat of Singapore, Ormsin Chivapruck of Thailand, Trieu Minh Long of Vietnam, and ASEAN Secretariat Deputy Secretary General Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee.