PILI, CAMARINES SUR (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture DA regional office in Bicol has tapped the Philippine Information Agency to fight the proliferation of false information that targets farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
DA Regional Executive Director Rodel Tornilla and PIA Regional Head Ramil Marianito signed the cooperation agreement on Wednesday, January 17.
Shortly after the signing, Tornilla told a press conference in Pili, Camarines Sur that he needed the PIA to help battle misconceptions among farmers and the public caused by fake news and a dearth of information about emerging problems in the agriculture sector.
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Bicol Regional Head Ramil Marianito assures support to the Department of Agriculture in its fight against misinformation and has committed to assisting the department in disseminating accurate information. (PIA 5)
Tornilla said that due to minimal access to accurate information, farmers have developed misconceptions about their sector and the government.
“Misinformation causes real problems to farmers and DA,” he said.
For his part, Marianito said PIA is backing DA’s fight against disinformation and misinformation in the social media and internet.
False information and its negative effects have always been a part of agriculture and food production even before the term "fake news" became popular, he said.
DA, farmers, and food processors have been plagued by false reports designed to scare consumers about the safety of agricultural production practices and foods, he added.
In other words, the food industry has been dealing with fake news long before the term was even coined, he concluded. (PIA 5)
