PCO’s Jay Ruiz eyes ‘social media body’ to fight fake news

Veteran broadcast journalist Jay Ruiz. | PHOTO: Screengrab from Jay Ruiz’s YouTube page, Jay Ruiz Talks @ Sentro

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz is considering setting up a regulatory body for social media to combat fake news.

“Ping-aaralan po natin yan. Sana magkaroon kahit papaano,” Ruiz told reporters when asked whether it is high time to form a regulatory body for social media.

(We are studying that. I hope there will be one created somehow.)

In an ambush interview on Monday after a flag-raising ceremony in Malacañang, Ruiz also said he has yet to study the possibility of filing legal charges against those who spread false information online.

“Pag-aaralan ko pa. (I will study that.) But of course, we also have our legal team that will take care of that in case sumobra,” he also said, referring to the filing of cases against fake news spreaders.

Ruiz is the fourth PCO chief under the Marcos administration, succeeding Cesar Chavez, Cheloy Garafil, and Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

The new PCO chief is the son of Alfonso J. Ruiz, who served as mayor of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.

READ: Chavez third Marcos media chief to exit

After taking the oath as PCO secretary last February 24, Ruiz also vowed to help the current administration disseminate essential information to the public and fight fake news.

“What we want to happen is for people to know and feel that the government is for the people. There are many programs that need to be made known—programs in education, free housing, and more,” he told reporters in Filipino when asked on his priorities.

“We also need to fight fake news, especially lies, because those are the things that truly harm us,” he added.