Here in the Philippines, we have a saying that goes: “marami ang namamatay sa maling akala.” This is roughly translated as: “many die because of false assumptions.”

During the previous administration, tens of thousands were killed in the name of a “war on drugs.” This so-called “war” received such high approval ratings from the general public, who were made to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign, that the Philippines was turning into a narco-state. But were we?

In the 2015 Nationwide Survey on the Nature and Extent of Drug Abuse in the Philippines published by the Dangerous Drugs Board, drug prevalence in the Philippines is at 2.3%, way below the 5.2% worldwide drug prevalence per the UNODC 2015 World Drug Report. These numbers were unashamedly fudged time and time again to find justification to continue with the onslaught of killings. The regular change in data was done to the point that what remained consistent was the inconsistency of the data.

I guess the false assumption that the campaign line was true indeed resulted in deaths.

This unwarranted exaggeration, this lie, helped win a presidential race. It became the nation’s main narrative. For several years, false information, in general, became a trend – the primary tool used to remain in the public’s good graces; to whitewash failures; and to put detractors in their place. Through disinformation, a good president was ridiculed and made to appear incompetent to cover up the incumbent’s inadequacies and shortcomings; a brilliant public servant was painted as incapable and dumb to preclude her from pursuing any further political post; a woman – a sitting senator – was humiliated, wrongfully accused, and imprisoned to this day to discredit her; and anyone else who disagreed was tagged as a communist to silence them.

Needless to say, these purveyors of fake news have been quite successful, so far. With the help of social media algorithms and manipulation, an unrestricted information superhighway, and the availability of services enabling the proliferation of false information, it has contributed to the erosion of democratic ideals, and any respect for human lives. Is this how we see our society? Is this where our world is headed?

We need to find a way to reclaim our shrinking democratic space. And as with many of societal challenges, the solution lies in the involvement and commitment of all sectors – public or private. Left unchecked, such prevalence and reliance on false information will naturally lead to miseducation, and a badly informed citizenry, for starters, and to say the least, incompetence, populism, demagoguery, authoritarian dictatorship. We can go on discussing where that will bring us.

In our capacity as advocates of liberal and democratic values and principles, it is incumbent upon us to not only stand up and demand for truth, but to find ways to ensure that the system and infrastructure to facilitate truth-telling are put in place. Political parties, particularly through their members who serve as public officials, their mass memberships, grassroots organizations and allies are among those in the best position to do so.

In October 2021, despite all the odds stacked against her, caused mainly by the barrage of disinformation, slander, and historical revisionism, our party’s former chairperson, f/Vice President Leni Robredo, dared to file her candidacy to run for the highest post in the land to at the very least, have a venue to speak the truth. Despite her loss last May, her candidacy rallied massive support, which has become what we call the Pink Movement. The existence of this movement, despite all the odds, gives us hope that all is not lost; that TRUTH, REASON, and JUSTICE still have a space and a fighting chance in our body politic. Our challenge now is how to harness it as together, a woke, responsible and active citizenry is a potent the weapon to fight against disinformation.

Once upon a time, we all made fun of gossipy neighbors. False information is nothing new, really. And growing up, I remember how we find it funny in small doses. But as we have recently experienced, it is quite deadly when massive, organized, and targeted. And as often proven, it may well spell the difference between a country moving forward, or falling further behind. It is no longer a laughing matter. Needless to say, pushback is an imperative.

I always enjoy and value our exchange of ideas. It is always an honor to be part of our gatherings, and for the opportunity to impart and to learn. May this gathering prove to be another fruitful one. For the next two days, let us put our heads together and find solutions. The truth and the freedoms we so cherish depend on it.

Thank you, my dear colleagues. Enjoy your stay in the Philippines.

https://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr2015/World_Drug_Report_2015.pdf

https://pcij.org/uploads/5be017bdced4d-DDB-2015-Nationwide-Survey-Final-Reportc.pdf