

MANILA - The government is set to launch a "grand information summit" next year to fight fake news and improve media literacy among Filipinos, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Saturday.

"Magkakaroon po tayo ng isang information summit this coming 2018, first quarter. At kasama po dito lahat ng mga information officers ng probinsiya, siyudad, mga munisipyo, lahat po ng under PCOO (Presidential Communications Operations Office) pupunta po doon. We are also inviting private media to be part of this information summit," Andanar said in an interview on state-run radio Radyo Pilipinas.

"This will be the first. Grand in a sense na malaking information summit po na gaganapin dito sa bansa natin," he said.

Andanar said the information summit seeks to unite all media practitioners and users to rally against misinformation, especially on social networking sites.

"It should be a collaboration between private media, government media at collaboration between institutions, including educational institutions, DepEd (Department of Education). Kailangan po magtulungan lahat eh. Social media is so big. It's so massive to be ano, to be solved by one agency alone," he said.

Last month, information ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to combat the spread of fake news within the 10-member regional bloc.

Andanar is currently chair of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI), the bloc's arm in charge of the crusade against fake news.

Earlier this year, Andanar's subordinates drew flak online for successive blunders.

In May, Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux "Mocha" Uson was criticized for posting a photo of police officers from Honduras in calling for prayers for Filipino soldiers.

The Philippine News Agency, also under Andanar, was also criticized for a series of gaffes including using a fruit processing company's logo instead of the emblem of the Department of Labor and Employment for a story involving the agency.