Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar met his Cambodian counterpart, Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith, to address each government’s communication needs and challenges.

In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas on December 16, Saturday, Secretary Andanar announced that a Memorandum of Cooperation has been signed at fostering cooperation in the areas of information exchange, multimedia programs, and personnel training.

“Para din po magtulungan ang dalawang bansa para harapin itong mga bagong hamon sa atin tulad ng fake news,” he said.

The proliferation of fake news is a common problem nowadays by most countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is Cambodia’s number one challenge too.

Andanar said the PCOO could help Cambodia by sharing information and best practices on how to fight fake news.

“Ito po ay naging bahagi din ng ating fake news roundtable dito po sa Pilipinas na pinangunahan po ng PCOO kasama po lahat ng mga ASEAN countries,” he recalled.

In addition, Secretary Andanar said the PCOO could share its experiences and successes in implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI) program in the Executive Branch and in heading the Presidential Task Force on Media Security.

In the first quarter of next year, the PCOO will be holding an information summit to gather key information officers and members of the media.

“This will be the first grand—grand in a sense na malaking information summit po na gaganapin dito sa bansa natin. At ito po ay pangungunahan ng PCOO, of course, katuwang ang attached agency na Philippine Information Agency,” Andanar disclosed.

He underscored the need to have a massive literacy campaign and public awareness.

Fighting the proliferation of fake news, Andanar said, should be a collaboration between private and government media, and private and public institutions. ###PCO-Content