Meralco holds media literacy forum to help employees combat disinformation

By Jomarc Angelo M. Corpuz

With news and opinions circulating across social media and other internet platforms, determining which information to trust has become, to say the least, an everyday challenge. To aid in this conquest for truth, Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Meralco organized a media and information literacy forum on Oct. 30 at the Meralco Mini Theater in Pasig City, bringing together media practitioners and corporate communications professionals to discuss how people can evaluate information and respond to disinformation.

Held in connection with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week, the forum themed “Mapanuring Meralco” promoted critical thinking and responsible information sharing.

“Media and information literacy is increasingly important in this age when information is available at our fingertips. Nasa cellphone na lang halos lahat ngayon,” said Meralco Vice-President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga in his opening remarks.

“The challenge is no longer simply accessing information, but knowing how to assess, distinguish, and make informed decisions,” he added, pointing to social media as the primary news source identified by employees during the event.

He said the company regularly encounters misinformation and negative perspectives that spread quickly online, making credibility an important consideration in its communications.

“Trust is our most valuable asset. It takes years to build integrity, transparency, and accountability, but can be undermined in an instant,” Mr. Zaldarriaga said.

The forum forms parts of Meralco’s broader media and information literacy program that aims to embolden employees to apply discernment and critical thinking in their daily lives, including when evaluating claims about the company and other information circulating online.

Understanding information overload

Ramon “Mon” R. Isberto, communications consultant for MediaQuest Holdings and the brainchild behind Thinkamuna Pilipinas, shared insights on how the volume of digital content can overwhelm people’s ability to assess information carefully.

“It’s not only technology. We also have to understand our biology and our psychology,” he said, explaining that people’s natural responses can affect the way they process information.

Mr. Isberto described a media environment where users encounter countless sources of news, commentary, and analysis, often without knowing who produced the material or whether its claims are reliable.

“Sometimes you do. Very often you don’t,” he said, referring to whether people know the individuals behind the content they consume online.

He cited figures in his presentation indicating that Filipinos spend an average of eight hours and 52 minutes online daily. He also discussed how continuous exposure to content can eventually result in information overload.

“Our brains simply cannot process that amount of information,” he said, referring to the volume of data people encounter each day.

Building habits that protect public trust

The discussions also covered the duty of corporations in communicating accurate information and responding to misleading narratives.

Jose Roberto “Roby” A. Alampay, VP for Public Engagement and Corporate Communications Head of PLDT-Smart, tackled the relationship between journalism and corporate communications, including the responsibility of the latter to remain accurate and accountable when speaking about public concerns, similar to the former.

Meralco’s efforts to explain electricity rates illustrated the need to make technical information understandable to ordinary consumers. The company uses social media and traditional media channels to explain developments and reach different audiences.

“The values are the same. It’s transparency, it’s accountability, it’s truth, it’s accuracy, and at the end of the day, we all fall on the same values of being empowered citizens and empowering citizens to make their own decisions,” Mr. Alampay said.

Meanwhile, Von Cruz of The Nerve, a data insights organization, opened the conversation on how coordinated accounts and misleading content can create the impression that particular claims enjoy widespread public support.

The discussions placed a spotlight on the value of developing informed communities that can share accurate information within their own networks. Employees, families, and friends can help others evaluate suspicious claims and locate reliable sources.

“Facts don’t lose because they’re weaker; they lose because they travel alone. So, Meralco’s 6,000 people are already a network. The question is whether facts show up when they matter the most,” Mr. Cruz explained.

Speakers also discussed the increasing obstacles posed by digital scams and artificial intelligence, which can make fraudulent material increasingly convincing. Checking information against credible sources is still necessary, the panel added, particularly when online content prompts strong emotional reactions or asks people to take immediate action.

Making critical thinking a daily practice

The forum also conversed about how families can help people of different ages go through digital risks, including newer forms of fraud such as suspicious links, fraudulent offers, and AI-generated videos.

Speakers encouraged younger family members to help older relatives recognize online deception through practical demonstrations and patient conversations. AI tools may help users investigate claims, but their outputs also require verification.

Mr. Isberto’s presentation returned to the importance of stopping and taking a breather before reacting to digital content, particularly when people are exposed to more information than they can process thoughtfully.

The advocacy of Thinkamuna Pilipinas follows the same principle, encouraging Filipinos to think before clicking, commenting, or sharing.

“We must verify before we share, understand before we act, and think critically before we believe what we see and we don’t like,” he said. “Let’s build a culture where truth guides our decisions, accountability shapes our actions, and integrity remains non-negotiable.”

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