In Iloilo, #AmbagNatin roadshow highlights need to combat lies for 2025 elections

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Journalists and media experts underscored the urgency of addressing disinformation in preparation for the 2025 local and national elections during Rappler’s #AmbagNatin roadshow in Iloilo City.

“It’s not even about the politicians that get elected but about the decisions that they will make for us,” Rappler’s Disinformation and Platforms Lead Researcher Gemma Mendoza said in a forum held at the University of the Philippines – Visayas.

“The consequences of elections do not end on election day,” Mendoza added. 

A few months before the elections, Francis Angelo, editor-in-chief of Iloilo-based news outlet The Daily Guardian, noted the rise of disinformation in city, sharing an example of false claims suggesting that the incumbent mayor is endorsing a specific candidate.

Past elections have shown the pivotal role of social media in securing victories, from former president Rodrigo Duterte’s 2016 presidential bid to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s networked disinformation and propaganda that helped his family reclaim Malacañang.

Mendoza also emphasized the growing challenge posed by artificial intelligence in spreading disinformation, which has seen a significant rise in 2024.

University of the Philippines – Visayas Humanities Division Chairperson Katherine Valencia emphasized the critical role of media literacy in combating false information. While media and information literacy is already part of the senior high school curriculum, Valencia pointed out the need to strengthen its frameworks to focus on analyzing information critically.

Valencia urged voters to take greater responsibility in questioning and understanding the information they encounter. She encouraged the public to foster discussions about disinformation within their families and communities, emphasizing that informed conversations at the grassroots level can help counter the spread of false narratives.

Franco Miguel Nodado, editor-in-chief of Vital Signs, an Iloilo-based student publication, also shared campus papers’ critical role in addressing disinformation. He also shared their initiative, “Facts First Friday,” which debunks healthcare myths weekly.

The Iloilo leg of the roadshow, organized by Rappler’s Move.PH in partnership with #FactsFirstPH, University of the Philippines Visayas, Daily Guardian, iWrite, and Vital Signs, is part of a nationwide campaign to promote informed civic participation and vigilance against disinformation in light of the upcoming 2025 elections. Around 100 participants attended the event. 

The public forums were followed by workshops led by Rappler reporters, civic engagement specialists, and senior video producers. – Rappler.com