2 months ago
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CEBU CITY — With misinformation spreading faster than facts online, the city council is calling on national education agencies to help sharpen the public's ability to detect fake news.
In two separate resolutions passed on March 19, 2025, the council urged the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to organize seminars focused on identifying and combating online disinformation.
The move comes in light of growing concerns about digital literacy among Filipinos.
A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey published on March 12, 2025, revealed that 65 percent of Filipinos find it difficult to determine whether the news or information they consume from television, radio, or social media is genuine or fake.
Councilor Rey Gealon, sponsor of the two resolutions, said there is a clear need to enhance the media literacy of students and educators alike.
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He pointed out that college students, being of legal age and on the cusp of joining the workforce, should be able to critically assess the accuracy of online content.
Also, younger students, who are heavy users of social media, must be taught how to identify misleading information early on.
The resolution directed at CHED focuses on raising awareness and developing the ability of college students to spot and reject disinformation, especially on social media.
The separate request to the DepEd Cebu City Division urges similar efforts for high school students and teachers, highlighting the need for critical thinking, fact-checking and reliance on credible media sources.
The city secretary has been directed to furnish copies of both resolutions to CHED and DepEd for appropriate action.
The council's resolutions were passed as the country grapples with ongoing issues of misinformation, including a recent incident involving a Cebu-based vlogger.
Authorities have arrested a 30-year-old vlogger from Oslob, Cebu, for spreading fake news falsely claiming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had legalized illegal drugs.
The National Bureau of Investigation said Wendelyn Apduhan Magalso altered a March 14 news post by TV5, inserting a fabricated quote urging the legalization of drugs.
She will be charged with illegal use of publication under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
If convicted, she faces up to six years in prison and a fine of up to P200,000.
