Manila: The House-approved anti-disinformation bill further protects journalists and legitimate media work, with journalists and media organizations helping strengthen safeguards to ensure the measure cannot be used to suppress legitimate reporting or dissent. In a statement, House of Representatives Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos III said protecting the role of journalists remains fundamental in providing part of the checks and balances of government officials.
According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos made the assurance Monday following concerns over the proposed Digital Media Anti-False Information Act, now expected to undergo Senate scrutiny after clearing the House. The measure seeks to address the growing spread of online false information, an issue that lawmakers have identified as a threat to public safety, democratic institutions, and informed public discourse, while balancing constitutional guarantees on freedom of expression and press freedom.
"Those concerns are actually very valid, and I understand that it might be misconstrued as something to do with censorship or using the bill to weaponize the media," Marcos said. While acknowledging how the proposal could be perceived by some sectors, he maintained that such concerns should be addressed through stronger safeguards rather than abandoning the measure altogether.
The House majority leader encouraged active participation from the media during Senate deliberations and the amendment process to ensure adequate protections are incorporated into the bill. "I think what's important is to have necessary media participation in order for those safeguards to at least, if not there already, at least be introduced either in the Senate version or during the period of amendments," he said.
Marcos noted that the objective of the proposal is to confront the growing challenge of false online information while respecting the indispensable role of a free and independent press. "We are not here to censor anyone," he said.
