2022 National Elections Archives - Page 2 of 3

Apr272022 by No Comments

‘Fact-checking not enough to fight disinformation’

News

FACT-CHECKING is “good,” but is not enough to combat the proliferation of disinformation online, a veteran journalist and educator said. “Is doing fact-checking enough? To be honest with you, it’s not enough…It can do a lot of good things, [but] it won’t definitely be enough,” UST journalism professor and former ABS-CBN News Channel anchor Christian Esguerra said during a policy forum organized by the Far Eastern University Public Policy Center last April 26. “Ask the ordinary people in the streets, online, on Facebook, on YouTube, on Tiktok. Even if you give them links to information that have been fact-checked. Ordinarily, for those who have already made up their minds, they wouldn't really bother to look at the facts,” he added. Esguerra, who hosts the podcast “Facts First...

Mar252022 by 1 Comment

Trolling for the truth? Two online trolls claim they are not just after the money

Features

by RY PHILIP JACO T. GALVAN WEEKS BEFORE the official start of this year’s local campaigns, Raphy and Harry (not their real names) have already posted propaganda on social media. They would call out and highlight the opposition’s wrongdoing, which could benefit the local politician they are serving. As the tight race for city mayor heated up, trolls from both sides hurled insults and allegations against each other. Raphy and Harry had been doing everything to promote their candidate and to discredit their rivals, even at the expense of truth. “Corrupt!” they wrote as if unleashing hell towards their target social media users. While they do not have substantial evidence to back their claim, the two insisted that what they wrote was the truth. “I do not lie when ...

Mar122022 by No Comments

65 AB profs back Robredo’s presidential bid

News

by DAWN DANIELLE SOLANO and MATTHEW DAVE JUCOM SEVERAL ARTLET faculty members have expressed support for the candidacy of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo for president due to what they described as her “decent” and “unsoiled” political track record for the past six years. Among the 641 Thomasian educators who have publicly endorsed Robredo through the Facebook page Thomasians for Leni, 65 are from the Faculty of Arts and Letters. In a statement, the faculty members claimed the vice president has “demonstrated exemplary servant leadership” through her advocacies. Communication instructor Tito Quiling, Jr. said Robredo’s effort to prioritize the people’s immediate needs became the “deciding point” for him to support her candidacy. “It was a difficult time for us, ...

Mar102022 by No Comments

AB Dean urges tech firms to help fight ‘fake news’ during the election period

News

TECHNOLOGY FIRMS like social media giant Facebook should conduct more fact-checking to prevent the spread of “fake news,” especially during the campaign period, Faculty of Arts and Letters Dean Marilu Madrunio said. Citing a New York Times column, Madrunio said technology giants play a vital role in the upcoming elections because of their direct influence on voter behavior and preferences. “Little to no checking allows unscrupulous parties to spread disinformation or fake news through the facilities of these companies,” she said during the e-Leksiyon: Taming Tech Titans forum held last Wednesday. Madrunio said adapting to new technologies, such as the electronic voting (e-voting) system, could increase voter participation during elections. The system, the dean noted, could b...

Mar12022 by No Comments

A few tense moments, lots of promises during CNN PH debate

News

THERE WERE no fiery confrontations but there were a few tense moments and a number of promises during last Sunday’s presidential debate hosted by CNN Philippines at the University of Santo Tomas. The abilities and principles of nine out of the ten presidential aspirants were put to test during the three-hour event, which was held before a virtual and a limited live audience at the Quadricentennial Pavilion. Former presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, labor leader Leody De Guzman, former defense chief Norberto Gonzalez, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Faisal Mangondato, Jose Montemayor Jr., Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, and Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo weighed in on key issues including corruption, the West Philippine Se...

Feb282022 by No Comments

PH should not be neutral on Russia-Ukraine conflict—presidential bets

News

by NILLICENT BAUTISTA SIX PRESIDENTIAL candidates expressed their disagreement with the neutral stance of the Department of National Defense on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In one of the CNN Philippines’ presidential debate segments, former defense chief Norberto Gonzales, labor leader Leody de Guzman, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Jose Montemayor Jr., Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, and Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo said they would not remain neutral on the current Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an interview dated Feb. 24, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippines is not in the position to comment or condemn what is happening in Ukraine as the Philippines is nowhere near it. “Wala naman tayong pakialam sa Europe kung ano ang ginagawa nila doon, hind...

Feb282022 by No Comments

Most presidential candidates oppose divorce in the country

News

By ARTHUR APOSTOL ONLY THREE out of the nine attending presidential candidates said they are in favor of instituting divorce in the Philippines during the CNN Presidential debate held Sunday. Presidential candidates Panfilo Lacson, Leody De Guzman, and Faisal Mangondato are the only ones who have raised their hands when asked about divorce in the Philippines. Sen. Manny Pacquiao said that marriage is not a joke but a “commitment to God and one’s partner.” “We need to teach people how to be a spouse, educate people how to be partners before marriage because marriage is not a joke, especially withdrawing from it,” he said. Pacquiao added that people should think hard and get to know each other better before getting married so that they will not undergo separation. The ...

Feb272022 by 1 Comment

Presidential aspirants vow to investigate BOC for corruption

News

by MATTHEW DAVE JUCOM EIGHT OUT of nine presidential candidates who attended CNN Philippines’ debate on Sunday said they would primarily investigate the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which was accused last year of alleged corruption, should they be elected. When asked what government agency would they investigate first for corruption, presidential bets Ernesto Abella, Leody de Guzman, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Norbeto Gonzales, Sen. Panfilo "Ping” Lacson, Faisal Mangondato, and Vice-President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo said the Bureau of Customs. The BOC, together with the Department of Agriculture, was probed December 2021 in the Senate for alleged smuggling of agricultural products, which had conflicted the income of the local farmers and fishermen. Last...

Feb272022 by No Comments

Sotto, Pangilinan: Strengthen state alliances to assert rights over WPS

News

by MATTHEW DAVE JUCOM VICE PRESIDENTIAL aspirants Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said strengthening treaties and alliances would help assert the country’s right over the West Philippine Sea. Pangilinan said the Philippines should heigthen its relationship with the neighboring ASEAN countries and other countries concerned about China’s aggression to strengthen its position against the “illegal and fake reclamation” of China on Philippine borders. “We will have to engage with ASEAN—Indonesia [and] Vietnam. They are also concerned about the aggression of China. We should align with ASEAN neighbors who, together, we can strengthen our position that this aggression is not right. The US, Australia, Japan are also concerned about this n...

Feb262022 by No Comments

VP bets to focus on science-based approach for pandemic response

News

by MATTHEW DAVE JUCOM SOME VICE presidential candidates for the 2022 polls said they would prioritize a scientific approach to better manage the COVID-19 pandemic should they be elected in the position. The consensus within the scientific community should be conducted as part of the pandemic response, vice presidential bet Rizalito David said during the CNN Philippines’ vice presidential debate held Saturday. He added that the government should not just rely on one side when managing the pandemic. “Maraming mga doktor at siyentipiko ang nagsasabing may gamot sa Covid. Mayroon tayong pwedeng gawin, mayroon tayong natural na gamot. Hindi natin kailangang mag-lockdown pero dahil ang gobyerno lamang ang nagsagawa ng pamamaraan… ‘yan ang nangyari sa atin,” David said. Senate Pres...