AN OFFICIAL of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) told the members of the media in Negros Occidental to put truth at the center of their stories.
Undersecretary George Apacible, who was guest of honor and speaker at the 82nd Induction and Oath-taking ceremony of the Negros Press Club (NPC) at SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City last night, said the world has entered a strange arena where the truth has not only become elusive.
“It has often been compromised, or substituted for perceptions, opinions, sensational applications and what is now called as fake news,” Apacible said.
Apacible said “it is imperative, therefore, that as you stand for the truth, the press is safeguarded to be free. There is no in between,” relaying the message of PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar.
Themed “NPC@82: Standing Up for the Truth, Safeguarding Free Press,” the induction and oath-taking ceremony was attended by NPC officers, members, and local government officials.
The event’s theme comes the most appropriate time, Apacible noted.
“Too many creeds have surfaced. A plethora of prejudices has been presented as judgments. The elements of reality, of facts, of verified data, have been co-mingled with both personal and political biases and passed on as news to be consumed by the public,” he said.
He pointed out that the advances in communication have become both a blessing and a bane with social networking through Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and other social media platforms.
As he extended the agency’s congratulations to the newly-inducted officers, Apacible said may the new set of inductees be the new voices of the noble profession of journalism in various media.
“May they rally to our President’s call for the extermination of poisonous narcotics, criminality, corruption, and acts of terrorism in all its forms. All else, may the virtue of truth be your beacon of faith,” he said.
