Disinformation may have impacted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s latest approval and trust ratings, Malacañang said.
In a Palace briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro questioned the accuracy of the Pulse Asia survey, which surveyed only 2,400 respondents, arguing it couldn’t reflect the sentiment of over 100 million Filipinos.
She linked the survey results to the spread of fake news, saying, “Ito ay sumasalamin din po sa impluwensya ng mga fake news na nagkakalat.”
Castro also cited findings from international disinformation watchdogs, which show the Philippines has a higher rate of coordinated online disinformation than the global average.
“So, kung ang mga tao man na ito ay nagbigay ng kanilang mga opinyon, marahil ay bunga ito ng mga fake news,” according to her.
Responding to questions about the survey’s timing, Castro emphasized that the administration would continue to focus on law and policy, not skewed public opinion.
“Kung anuman po ang nagiging desisyon ng Pangulo at ng administrasyon at ito ay nagre-reflect sa isang survey, nanaisin pa rin po at ipapatupad pa rin ng Pangulo kung ano ang nasa batas at kung ano ang tama,” she said.
The Palace official pointed to the government’s initiatives, like the Walang Gutom program and efforts to increase wages, as signs of proactive governance.
Castro acknowledged the potential impact of the survey on the May 12 senatorial elections but stressed that the administration remains committed to combating fake news.IMT
