Manila: The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and the Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Center (CICC) have taken a significant step to combat fake news and scam activities by signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA). This initiative is aimed at enhancing the government’s efforts against misinformation and scam operations.
According to Philippines News Agency, the MOA outlines collaboration between the PCO and the CICC to establish the Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC) Hotline 1326 as the national anti-scam hotline. It also promotes the eGOVPH application’s e-Report function for reporting scams, as stated by PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro during a press briefing. Castro emphasized the importance of education campaigns against scams and deepfakes, highlighting the inclusion of crucial news in the eGOVPH application to help Filipinos avoid scams and combat fake news.
CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Ramos announced the formation of a national task force and the deployment of an artificial intelligence (AI) application to strengthen the fight against misinformation, particularly deepfakes. The National Deepfake Task Force, headed by the PCO, will utilize the AI tool free of charge to curb the spread of deepfake content. Approximately PHP2 million has been allocated for the software, which will be procured from a foreign developer. Ramos reported that around 200 deepfake cases have been submitted to the CICC in recent weeks, necessitating urgent action.
Ramos stressed the need for civil society initiatives to support this effort by empowering organizations focused on media literacy, fact-checking, and combating disinformation. He highlighted that a tool capable of identifying deepfake content within 30 seconds was tested last month, and plans are underway to distribute it to stakeholders. The accreditation process for using the anti-deepfake application is currently in progress, with training sessions planned to ensure stakeholders can effectively utilize the tool.
Ramos clarified that the application will be available to accredited partners without government bias, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in identifying deepfakes. The initiative aims to empower independent fact-checkers and community members to take an active role in addressing the issue of fake news and deepfakes.
