In Laguna province, black propaganda in both mainstream and social media has become the rule rather than the exception during election period.
And as the campaign period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections draw closer, expect all sorts of accusations, counter-accusations and refutations to fly off the wall.
This early, there are already signs that local barangay politics in some areas of the province are expected to become more heated than ever.
Candidates are already trading accusations not only against each other but also against local officials in the city level suspected of supporting and/or “bankrolling” their rivals.
It’s unfortunate that fake news has become embedded in the Filipino political landscape, and barangays have not proven immune to the proliferation of black propaganda on social media.
But here’s a thing: as barangay voters tend to be closer and more knowledgeable about their barangay officials (and are generally more tight-knit, particularly in the urban barangays), they are more equipped to fight back against misinformation and disinformation in their level.
The question is, will they allow the proliferation of fake news for the sake of “kampihan” and partisanship (ironic, isn’t it, for elections that are supposed to be non-partisan)?
Or, will these voters take up the challenge and uphold not only accountability and responsibility but also truth-telling in their own barangays?
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