Archive of Fake News in the Philippines
ARCHIVE OF FAKE NEWS IN THE PHILIPPINES
For a number of years, the topic of "fake news" has dominated headlines. We are defining "fake news" broadly to mean untrue news stories, meaning they lack verified information, sources, or quotes. These articles may occasionally be propaganda intended to deceive the reader or be "clickbait" articles created for financial gain. But it's crucial to recognize that the issue of "fake news" is more complicated and nuanced than the above-constrained definition suggests.
A poll conducted by Pulse Asia from September 17-21, revealed that about 9 in 10 Filipino adults, or 86 percent, see the proliferation of “fake news” as a problem in the country and only 14 percent of respondents across the country do not regard fake news as an issue.
* These are some of the fake news published online in the Philippines:
~ in POLITICS
1.CLAIM: KUWAIT HINDI KAYANG WALANG OFW! MAY HILING KAY DUTERTE! PANOORIN (from pinoynews.info)
– FALSE, Kuwait did not apologize over the diplomatic row.
2. CLAIM: MARCOS BAYANI NG PILIPINAS (from facebook/BBM youth)
- FALSE, the rule of Mr. Marcos senior, which lasted more than two decades until 1986, was characterized by widespread extrajudicial killings and the torture of opponents. According to Amnesty International, 70,000 people were jailed, 34,000 were tortured and 3,240 were killed.
3. CLAIM: WATCH: INDAY SARA LANG ANG KARAPATDAPAT PUMALIT KAY DUTERTE AYON KAY SOTTO (from kantonewsph.xyz)
– FALSE, Sotto did not endorse Sara Duterte as her father’s replacement.
~ in SHOWBIZ/ENTERTAINMENT
1. CLAIM: ITS CONFIRM! JOWANG NIREVEAL NI MAYMAY ENTRATA IT'S A FAKE NEWS PALA?
- FALSE said by Maymay Entrata herself.
2. CLAIM: KRIS AQUINO DIED IN AMERICA ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 23.
- FALSE, Aquino is alive and has been active on social media. She debunked the claim on her verified Instagram account. There are also no official news reports of Aquino’s death.
3. CLAIM: NATULDUKAN NA ANG ISYUNG IRINGAN NINA VICE GANDA AT MARIAN RIVERA. SPOTTED KASING SWEET NA SWEET ANG DALAWA SA ISANG PARTY. I via #FrontlineSaUmaga
- FALSE, Vice Ganda expresses dismay at TV5's Frontline Sa Umaga for airing a false report that he and Marian Rivera had a previous falling-out. Frontline Sa Umaga news anchor Gretchen Ho tells Vice that she will look into the issue.
~ in ACADEME
1. CLAIM: DEPED, THROUGH EDUCATION SECRETARY LEONOR BRIONES, ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WILL BE A GRADE 13.
- FALSE, the DepEd did not announce that there will be a Grade 13, and Briones did not say the quote attributed to her.
2. CLAIM: CHED CHAIRMAN PROSPERO DE VERA III SAYS "WE ARE GOING TO DIE".
- FALSE, De Vera did not say, "We are going to die."
3. CLAIM: THE COMMISION ON HIGHER EDUCATION SAID THE LICENSURE EXAM IS THE TOUGHEST LICENSE EXAM TO PASS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
- FALSE, CHED did not issue this statement, and the "assistant commissioner" cited in the article is fake.
~ in SPORTS 1. CLAIM: ONLY KIKIAM AND EGGS SERVE TO ATHLETES
- FALSE, Chicken sausage not Kikiam, and the food was served in buffet.
2. CLAIM: BAD HOTEL ACCOMMODATION FOR THE CAMBODIAN TEAM ATHLETES MADE TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR AND ON LINED-UP CHAIRS.
- FALSE, the signed agreement with the organizers includes accommodation with a standard check-in time of 2:00 pm.
3. CLAIM: THE PHILIPPINE FLAG IS USED AS A TABLECLOTH IN SERVING FOOD TO ATHLETES.
- FALSE, the photo was taken on November 23, 2015, not in any sea games venue.
~ in MEDICAL FIELD
1. CLAIM: NEW COVID-19 VARIANT IN PAMPANGA
- FALSE, "This is fake news" confirmed by Pineda.
2. CLAIM: IVERMECTIN APPROVED AS COVID-19 CURE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
- FALSE, there is still no approved cure for COVID-19 as of Thursday, April 8, 2021. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines has only issued one hospital a limited permit to use Ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment, but this does not guarantee its safety and efficacy.
3. CIRCULATING MESSAGES ADVISING THE PUBLIC TO AVOID CERTAIN MALLS, HOTELS, AND ESTABLISHMENTS.
- FALSE, the DOH has not issued any advisory on this matter.
> The purposefully deceptive and inaccurate reporting of the mainstream media, which I refer to as fake news, is one of the main causes of the anger we see in our society today. It's impossible to describe how terrible and vicious it's gotten. With the development of technology, people now have more options for disseminating information and breaking news. The public now has even greater access to the news because of the usage of increasingly sophisticated channels like radio shows and television broadcasts. However, print is the most efficient form of public communication because it can be found in newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, and more.
The thing is if a lie is repeated often, people will begin to believe it is true. So how can we combat fake news?
1. Consider the journalist or media.
- These days anyone can be an online journalist. So, as you consume “news”, look at the source to determine the likelihood of truth and accuracy.
2. Do your research.
- Check the citations and dates of research to ensure it’s from a reputable source and not outdated. For instance, a study or statistic could have been true at some point, but if it’s more than a few years old, the information could no longer be fact.
3. Find the source
- Don’t just google to see if the information is on other sites. Remember, once fake news is printed, it is often reshared in many other outlets to make it seem as if it is true.
Now that you know how to spot fake news, the only way to combat it is to be vigilant to put a stop to its recirculation. If you see a friend sharing inaccuracies—ask them to remove their post. Add comments to articles stating the false claims, adding a link to the accurate information. We can’t stop fake news, but we can at least do our part to keep it from being reposted or repeated.
REFERENCES:The Philippine Star on. (2022, February 22). Twitter. https://mobile.twitter.com/PhilippineStar/status/1496029340244451333
Evangelista, A. (2018b, October 23). LIST: False news shared by PH-based pages taken down by Facebook. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/214986-false-news-shared-philippine-based-pages-taken-down-facebook-october-2018/
Rappler.com. (2018, May 29). FACT CHECK: Sotto did not endorse Sara Duterte as her father’s replacement. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/203535-tito-sotto-no-endorsement-sara-replace-president-duterte/
Lalu, G. P. (2022b, October 13). ‘Fake news’ a problem in PH? 9 in 10 Filipinos agree, says Pulse Asia. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1678248/fake-news-a-problem-in-ph-9-in-10-filipinos-agree-says-pulse-asia
Siazon, R. (2022, September 2). Vice Ganda calls out TV5’s “fake, clickbait, mema” report about him and Marian Rivera. PEP.ph. https://www.pep.ph/news/local/168203/vice-ganda-marian-rivera-tv5-report-a716-20220902
FALSE: “DepEd announces Grade 13.” (n.d.). Rappler. https://r3.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/262398-deped-announces-grade-13
Rappler.com. (2020b, April 24). FALSE: CHED says LET is ‘toughest exam to pass.’ RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/258910-ched-says-licensure-exams-teachers-toughest-to-pass/
> The purposefully deceptive and inaccurate reporting of the mainstream media, which I refer to as fake news, is one of the main causes of the anger we see in our society today. It's impossible to describe how terrible and vicious it's gotten. With the development of technology, people now have more options for disseminating information and breaking news. The public now has even greater access to the news because of the usage of increasingly sophisticated channels like radio shows and television broadcasts. However, print is the most efficient form of public communication because it can be found in newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, and more.
The thing is if a lie is repeated often, people will begin to believe it is true. So how can we combat fake news?
1. Consider the journalist or media.
- These days anyone can be an online journalist. So, as you consume “news”, look at the source to determine the likelihood of truth and accuracy.
2. Do your research.
- Check the citations and dates of research to ensure it’s from a reputable source and not outdated. For instance, a study or statistic could have been true at some point, but if it’s more than a few years old, the information could no longer be fact.
3. Find the source
- Don’t just google to see if the information is on other sites. Remember, once fake news is printed, it is often reshared in many other outlets to make it seem as if it is true.
Now that you know how to spot fake news, the only way to combat it is to be vigilant to put a stop to its recirculation. If you see a friend sharing inaccuracies—ask them to remove their post. Add comments to articles stating the false claims, adding a link to the accurate information. We can’t stop fake news, but we can at least do our part to keep it from being reposted or repeated.
REFERENCES:
The Philippine Star on. (2022, February 22). Twitter. https://mobile.twitter.com/PhilippineStar/status/1496029340244451333
Evangelista, A. (2018b, October 23). LIST: False news shared by PH-based pages taken down by Facebook. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/214986-false-news-shared-philippine-based-pages-taken-down-facebook-october-2018/
Rappler.com. (2018, May 29). FACT CHECK: Sotto did not endorse Sara Duterte as her father’s replacement. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/203535-tito-sotto-no-endorsement-sara-replace-president-duterte/
Lalu, G. P. (2022b, October 13). ‘Fake news’ a problem in PH? 9 in 10 Filipinos agree, says Pulse Asia. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1678248/fake-news-a-problem-in-ph-9-in-10-filipinos-agree-says-pulse-asia
Siazon, R. (2022, September 2). Vice Ganda calls out TV5’s “fake, clickbait, mema” report about him and Marian Rivera. PEP.ph. https://www.pep.ph/news/local/168203/vice-ganda-marian-rivera-tv5-report-a716-20220902
FALSE: “DepEd announces Grade 13.” (n.d.). Rappler. https://r3.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/262398-deped-announces-grade-13
Rappler.com. (2020b, April 24). FALSE: CHED says LET is ‘toughest exam to pass.’ RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/258910-ched-says-licensure-exams-teachers-toughest-to-pass/
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