Oct 31, Nov 3 not holidays, says Palace

- Advertisement -

MALACAÑANG yesterday said October 31 and November 3 have not been declared as non-working days or special holidays.

“Fake news,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a message sent to the media yesterday in the wake of social media reports that November 3 is a non-working day.

November 3, a Friday, is sandwiched between the All-Souls’ Day holiday on November 2 and November 4, which is a Saturday.

- Advertisement -

Bersamin, in a message sent by the Office of the Executive Secretary last Wednesday, also branded as “fake news” some social media reports that October 31, (Tuesday) has been declared a non-working day, or that work in government offices and classes in public schools has been suspended in the afternoon.

October 31 is sandwiched between October 30 (Monday), which has been declared as a holiday to give way to the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and November 1 (Wednesday), or All-Saints’ Day.

Some 27,000 policemen would be deployed throughout the country to secure the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, the PNP said yesterday.

In a television interview, PNP spokeswoman and Public Information Office chief Col. Jean Fajardo said the PNP will be on full alert during the holidays.

The PNP will be on full alert starting today, principally for Monday’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

“That will be extended until after Undas,” said Fajardo, referring to the PNP’s full alert status.

Fajardo earlier said the PNP is ready to secure the elections and Undas, adding the public can expect the increased presence of policemen in public convergence areas.

She said these deployments are meant to “ensure the safety of our countrymen.”

The Philippine Coast Guard has placed its districts, stations and sub-stations on heightened alert since last Wednesday in anticipation of the influx of port passengers in time for the BSKE and Undas.

During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, PCG spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo urged the public who will be going on vacation to observe regulations to avoid accidents.

“Follow the regulations set by the ports and vessels,” said Balilo.

To beachgoers, Balilo said they should listen to authorities if they are advising against swimming due to rough sea conditions.

“Don’t go on island hopping (in case of bad weather), we don’t want your lives put at risk,” said Balilo.

Balilo said PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan wants PCG personnel “to be visible at the ports” due to the anticipated increase in maritime traffic.

UNDAS BREAK

The Bureau of Immigration yesterday placed its personnel on heightened alert status in anticipation of the influx of travelers in and out of the country during the Undas break.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco assured the public that the agency has enough personnel to man immigration counters in all international ports of entry.

- Advertisement -spot_img

“I have ordered all terminal heads to conduct close monitoring of our operations these coming weeks to ensure smooth processing,” he said, adding the heightened alert status is also aimed at ensuring that criminal syndicates, including human traffickers, do not take advantage of the influx of travelers.

As previously practiced, Tansingco said immigration officers are not allowed to go on vacation leaves during this time of the year.

“Apart from the new immigration officers, we also have augmentation teams and mobile counters ready for deployment as needed,” he said.

“Given that we have limited space, we have to be creative in our ways to ease the lines,’ he added.

The BI chief said they expect a surge of travelers in the next few weeks, projecting a total of four million arrivals for the entire fourth quarter of 2023.

The agency also projects around 3.8 million departures from October to December this year.

“We are close to seeing pre-pandemic figures in our arrivals and departures. We have implemented numerous changes in our systems to cater to the resumption of international travel after the pandemic,” he added.

Prior to the pandemic, passenger volume at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main international gateway, usually increased by an average of 6 to 10 percent during the Holiday season.

SPOTTING FAKE NEWS

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) advised the public, especially the youth, to help stop the spread of false information and fake news by refraining from sharing them and reporting them to concerned agencies if possible.

“When you do realize that you have come across false information, report it, don’t share it. The spread of misinformation and disinformation ends with you. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard the truth in an age where falsehoods threaten to obscure it,” PCO Undersecretary Emerald Ridao said during the “Maging Mapanuri” Conference on Media and Information Literacy at the New World Hotel in Makati City last Wednesday.

Ridao talked of some practical guides for the public to adopt the “STOP and SPOT” approach to counter misinformation and disinformation which include practicing “Stop to Spot the Source,” “Stop to Spot the Purpose,” and “Stop to Spot the Time.”

Stop to Spot the Source means asking oneself who is sharing the information, whether they are random people on the internet, or from certified experts on the subject matter.

“Remember that the source matters. Credible, verified sources are more likely to provide accurate information,” said Ridao, adding that people should try tracing the ownership of the information and content if they came from credible organizations or individuals genuinely committed to the truth, or just pretending to be something they are not.

She said “Stop to Spot the Purpose” means determining if the information appearing in one’s social media feed is trending because it’s sensationalizing certain angles, or genuinely sharing factual information.

“Understanding the purpose behind the content can help you separate fact from fiction,” she added.

Ridao said “Stop to Spot the Time” means scrutinizing the timeline of the information release, whether it is new, old, or possibly outdated and irrelevant information disguised as news.

She policing the internet and stamping out every falsehood would be a never-ending battle which is why the PCO needs everyone’s cooperation and is committed to educating the public to address the challenge.

The PCO, last August, launched the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) campaign with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as its key partners in the public sector.

It also collaborated with social media networks such as Google (YouTube), Meta (Facebook, Instagram, and Threads), TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) in the project implementation.

The aim is to teach the public, especially, students how to combat fake news, misinformation and disinformation. — With Victor Reyes and Ashzel Hachero

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: