President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. remarked on Monday that the Philippines' Freedom of Information (FOI) program guides his administration's governance and that fake news has no place in society.
During the 14th International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) — a network that oversees the implementation of public information laws and policies around the world, Marcos praised the country's FOI program which was one of the first initiatives launched by his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, when he took office in 2016.
Marcos stated that the ideas of the FOI have been included in his administration's development plan for the next six years.
He added that the program provided the foundation for a high-priority initiative to digitize services of the national and local government organizations.
The President also claimed the program advanced the campaign against misinformation and disinformation in the country which he acknowledged was a problem in the Philippines and other countries.
Marcos also promoted his administration's attempts to build a "digital, multimedia, and youth-oriented" media literacy program as part of this campaign.
The ICIC, now in its 20th year, is meeting in Asia for the first time, according to Malacañang on Monday.
During the run-up to the 2022 elections, Marcos' campaign was chastised for allegedly using online trolls and networks to spread disinformation to whitewash his father and namesake, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Scholars criticized the tweets at the time for promoting Marcos Sr.'s government, allegedly distorting historical accounts, and targeting Marcos Jr.'s then-rival, former Vice President Leni Robredo.
But the President disputed the allegations.
