Joe R. Zaldarriaga, Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications, and one of the country’s celebrated and respected communicators, urged Quezon City government personnel to strengthen their resolve against misinformation and disinformation during a training workshop organized by the city’s Public Affairs and Information Services Department (PAISD).
Zaldarriaga, who also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), underscored the critical role of media literacy, critical thinking, and collaboration in countering fake news. He shared practical strategies on discerning false content to safeguard not only organizational reputation but also 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,” Zaldarriaga said in his talk on Decoding Deception: Navigating the Era of Fake News.
With nearly four decades of professional experience in communications and public relations, Zaldarriaga has become a strong advocate of responsible communication practices. He shared actionable strategies that public information officers can apply to protect their organizations and communities from the harmful effects of false information.
The training seeks to strengthen communication strategies, improve risk communication protocols, and ensure clearer, more effective information flow in times of disaster and crisis. The event gathered representatives from 65 Quezon City departments and 142 barangays.
