MANILA – In an effort to enhance media literacy and tackle misinformation, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has announced a collaboration with VERA Files to conduct a series of fact-checking workshops for state media personnel. Named ‘Siguraduhing Totoo: A VERA Files Fact Checking and Online Verification Training,’ the program is designed to train fact-check officers (FCOs) from various state media organizations throughout the Philippines.
The workshops are scheduled to occur in three stages: the first in Luzon on February 13-14, followed by the Visayas on February 20-21, and concluding in Mindanao on February 27-28. The training will cater to FCOs from regional branches of the Philippine News Agency, People’s Television Network Inc., Radyo Pilipinas, Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation, and the Philippine Information Agency.
VERA Files, a non-profit media entity and a member of the International Fact-Checking Network, will lead these workshops at no cost. The agreement between PCO and VERA Files stipulates that VERA Files will not be compensated for their services, underscoring their dedication to combating misinformation across media platforms.
This initiative is a component of the PCO’s broader ‘Maging Mapanuri’ campaign, which seeks to foster media literacy and curb the dissemination of false information. The training aims to equip fact-checkers with the skills needed to handle intricate information challenges and build resilience against misinformation in the digital era, as stated by the PCO.