PR industry voices concern over disinformation amid West Philippine Sea dispute

The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) has publicly condemned the proliferation of fake social media accounts disseminating disinformation about the ongoing territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea. The organisation criticised such activities as unethical, signalling growing unease within the PR community over practices that risk compromising public trust and societal welfare.

The controversy gained fresh momentum following revelations by Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino. During a congressional hearing, Tolentino presented a contract purportedly between the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and "a certain PR agency".

According to his claims, this agreement involved orchestrating "keyboard warriors" to manipulate online narratives, with investigators identifying some 330 fraudulent Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts engaged in spreading false information, as reported by ABS-CBN.

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For the PR industry, the issue strikes at the heart of professional ethics. The PRSP emphasised: "While our role is to uphold and strengthen the reputation of our clients and organisations, this is not to be done at the expense of societal good."

This incident highlights a troubling trend in the digital age, where the boundaries between public relations and disinformation blur. Research into the 2019 Philippine elections revealed an increased deployment of influencers and "troll farms" — covert networks of fake or automated social media accounts — to sway voter sentiment.

PRSP's statement calls on its members to recommit to their code of ethics and the professional standards for the practice of public relations, which demand that practitioners place the public interest first, maintain objectivity and accuracy, and uphold the law.

As digital platforms become ever more central in shaping political narratives and public opinion, the PR industry faces a critical crossroads: to champion transparency and truth or to succumb to the expediencies of misinformation.

"Unfortunately, not all communication practitioners are members of our organisation, and thus are not guided by a code of ethics. PRSP urges vigilance and calls on the authorities to act swiftly and decisively, ensuring a thorough investigation on cases of misinformation and disinformation that upholds the rule of law and due process," the PRSP said.

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