Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga has called on Quezon City officials to strengthen their campaign against misinformation and disinformation, warning that fake news threatens public trust and organizational integrity.

During a workshop organized by the local government’s Public Affairs and Information Services Department (PAISD), Zaldarriaga emphasized the importance of critical thinking, teamwork, and media literacy in disseminating accurate and verified information to maintain public trust.

 “In today’s digital age, public information officers must ensure that the public only receives timely, accurate and verified information. I also believe in advocating for media literacy; we need to make our peers more equipped to reduce the spread of misinformation. This will enable us to lead with integrity, clarity, and continue to ensure that truth prevails to preserve public trust,” he said in his talk on Decoding Deception: Navigating the Era of Fake News.

As an experienced professional communicator, Zaldarriaga shared his advocacy for practicing responsible public relations and communications.

The event brought together representatives from 65 city departments and 142 barangays, highlighting the city’s push to institutionalize stronger communication and information management practices.

By equipping local government personnel with tools to counter fake news, Quezon City aims to reinforce public confidence and safeguard its reputation as a responsive local government.

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