PCO eyes expanded campus caravan to reach, inform more students

MANILA – The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) wants to expand its Community Campus Caravan after the success of its first event held at the Lyceum of the Philippines University in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday.

Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said the event under the Media and Information Literacy campaign of the PCO aims to combat misinformation, disinformation, and fake news.

“Community caravan was conceptualized with the aim of not only bringing PCO sa (to the) grassroots, but also bringing Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) with it kasi we believe na ang youth kasi ang next generation natin ng leaders and since we’re proposing nga na magkaron tayo ulit ng nation building, a big component of that is the youth na were hoping na ma galvanize sila, ma-inspire sila na in their own way magkaron sila ng (because we believe that the youth are our next generation leaders, and since we’re proposing that we have our nation building, a big component is the youth and we hope that they become galvanized, inspired in their own way for them to have) drive, motivation, to be part of the system, to be part of the nation building,” Garafil said.

She said that new technology has become an important part of everyday life and has become a major source of entertainment, news, and information.

However, it has also become a source of misinformation that often cause chaos and misunderstanding.

With this, she said that it is important to educate the youth, the sector most active on social media.

“We want to empower and, ang youth na naman ang isa sa mga nakikita namin na dapat magsimula nitong movement na to in their own way ma-detect nila ang fake news so that in the future hindi na tayo magkakaron ng mga problema (we see the youth should start this movement and in their own way, detect fake news so we would not have any problem in the future)” Garafil explains.

The PCO agencies that set up booths were the Philippine News Agency, Radio Television Malacañang, Philippine Information Agency, People’s Television Network, and IBC13.

Sean Icely, a junior International Travel Tourism Management, said she found the experience enjoyable.

“For me, the PCO Caravan, it’s interactive. Maraming pwedeng gawin (We had lots to do), like that will give us new experience and hindi namin inakalang may ganito (we did not expect that it will be like this),” she said.

Another student said all the booths were educational.

“It’s very interesting specially for someone who loves to speak and who loves to communicate with other people. Actually, we don’t know about this event and we were just surprised na meron (that there’s an activity) here and it’s so fun,” Sharmaine Buenavera, also a third year Bachelor of Science in International Travel Tourism Management student, said.

Garafil said the Community Caravan campaign is just starting and they hope to be able to visit more schools across the country.

She said a visit to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila and other universities in Visayas and Mindanao will be scheduled.

“We hope to be in every university in the country, in every school pa nga sana (if possible), if time permits, pero (but) we’ll bring this to every grassroots para at least makita nila (so they would see) how the PCO works, what is Bagong Pilipinas, and how to fight fake news,” Garafil said. — Marita Moaje (PNA)