(Manila, 20th, Comprehensive Report) Philippine Senator Erwin Tulfo, while attending the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, called for strengthening global accountability mechanisms to combat fake news and misinformation, stressing that false information has seriously undermined democratic systems and public trust.
Tulfo pointed out that fake news in the Philippines has led to distorted public opinion and a loss of public trust. He emphasized that it is necessary to curb the deliberate creation and dissemination of misinformation through legislation.
"Our task is not to silence, but to safeguard the truth—to ensure that online public spaces become platforms for rational dialogue, not hotbeds of deception," he stressed in his speech.
He also called on parliaments of various countries to promote media literacy education to help citizens, especially the younger generation, develop the ability to distinguish between true and false information.
Tulfo has previously introduced Senate Bill No. 768 and Senate Bill No. 1361, which propose penalties for those who spread fake news and strengthen the public's right to access accurate information.