A Consumer-Commuter group today described people spreading fake news as not only “irresponsible” but “unpatriotic” especially when the people are suffering from effects of an enhanced community quarantine in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Ricky Rivera, co-convenor of the group, Pilipino Society and Development Advocates Commuter-Consumer (PASADA CC), a non-governmental organization registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), says this is the time for people to do “bayanihan” and not add up to the anxiety and fear being felt especially by economically challenged socio-economic groups among the Filipino population.

” Spreading fake news about the enhanced community quarantine being imposed to fight the spread of COVID-19 is not just irresponsible but downright, unpatriotic. Filipinos need to know the true story of the country at this point when channels of communication are compromised,” says Rivera, a long-time communications specialist.

News on an alleged order of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) limiting travel movements of people or those news about burglaries happening in Metro Manila are examples of such irresponsible actions by certain individuals.

” If you don’t have anything to do, just keep silent. Or better yet, do truthful narratives about what is really happening and not invent things that would confuse the public.”

Inventing things which are not true spells disaster to the democratic space because it adds up to the confused environment which would lead the state to further oppress the people.