PCOO, AgNorte guv dispel fake news on COVID-19
BUTUAN CITY, Apr. 3 (PIA) — Agusan del Norte Governor Dale B. Corvera with Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar dispelled fake news amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
During the Laging Handa Network Briefing on April 2, Governor Corvera clarified that the Malasakit Center in Butuan City was not used as a storage facility for the donated medical equipment donated for hospitals and frontline workers. This is in response to the circulating news that the Malasakit Centers, particularly in Metro Manila, are taking in donations from private donors and handing them out to its supposed beneficiaries with Senator Christopher “Bong” Go’s name plastered on the items.
“The Malasakit Center is a one-stop-shop for indigent citizens who wish to avail medical services without compromising their budgets and is not for such purposes,” Sec. Andanar affirmed.
Further, the country’s top communications officer elucidated that anyone who wishes to contribute through donations can give it directly to its chosen beneficiaries. This, in turn, invalidates the viral posts pertaining to the ransacking done to certain hospitals in Metro Manila due to the regulations imposed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
“Our function is to bridge the donors and frontline agencies and workers and address the prevalence of shortage of needed medical supplies during this pandemic,” he added.
The Caraga Regional Task Force on COVID-19 is actively combating the spread of fake news on COVID-19 in the region.
RMN-DXBC Radio Anchor and Station Manager Ramil Bangues said that the Cybercrime Unit of the police force in Caraga is constantly monitoring different social media pages to immediately provide appropriate
interventions on the matter.
Such diligence resulted in the apprehension of a pastor in the province of Agusan del Sur on March 20, after spreading false information in a Facebook post that some patients of the said disease were living in two separate towns in the province.
Governor Corvera also views the importance of the accessibility of the communication lines between the national and local governments in effectively carrying out the daily duties of the government.
He cited the Laging Handa Network Briefing program as manifestations of accessible communication lines and lauded Sec. Andanar for creating the program.
“The program is a great tool for local officials to make their concerns and plight of the Filipinos in the southern part of this country known to the whole nation and in turn enable awareness that maintains inclusivity,” the governor expressed.
Legitimate information on the development of the country amid the pandemic can be accessed through the Laging Handa and the PCOO pages on Facebook, Twitter, and on YouTube. (PIA-Caraga)
source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1037954