With this, the hoax brought upon by the malicious information that are posted online indeed signifies a broken picture of hope in our society. Fake news has been a concern in the modern world triggered by the fast-paced evolution of technology. In fact, this Big Bang-like progression is alarming and ubiquitous particularly in the field of journalism. It is just hard to believe either that we Filipinos are being blinded and deceived to join the lure of spreading fake news in the World Wide Web.

In the blog dutertards.info, there is this post that branded Senator Antonio Trillanes IV as drug positive in a surprise mandatory drug test in the Senate led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, whereas it turned to be a fake one as Trillanes tested negative based on the Drug Test Report posted by the senator himself in his Twitter account. This problem has then raised the attention of the masses. In a 2018 Social Weather System (SWS) survey, 7 in 10 internet users in the Philippines believe that fake news is a “serious” problem that demands a dire need for solution.

Seeing this significance, it can be gleamed that the advent of fake news has then brought into limelight all user generated contents that may contain malicious and misleading information mostly in the World Wide Web. According to the World Internet Stats, the Philippines ranked twelfth in the world among the highest number of internet users at 67 million people. The dismal consequence that is that if the billowing digital community is constantly fed with information intentionally stained with false and misleading facts, this can be implanted on our minds and worse, can even plunge us into the dark abyss of ignorance.

Delimiting the concern into the actual learning scenario, we students cannot be spared of the menacing impacts of fake news. Aside from the fact that media is now the trendy extension of our everyday lives, it is also considered as the “holy bible” of students who spend an average time of 3 hours and 57 minutes of their days in scrolling and browsing their Facebook or Twitter accounts. This goes to show that we students are very much dependent on the facts, figures and information that we see in the digital arena. Thus, fake news deprives us students of knowing factual and credible information that is needed in the odyssey of learning.

In addition to its effects to the educational milieu, one may also be risking the safety and well-being of the community as a whole. Recently, two cities in Cebu responded to social media reports about alleged terrorist threats that stirred a surge of panic and hysteria among the people. However, such news was declared as hoax by authorities.

In view of the foregoing scenarios, one question faces us campus journalists: How can we help in combating fake news? The fact that we are wading in into this field to hone our skills and for the purpose of being the forerunners of the Philippine Journalism workforce, we must be mindful of the information that we disseminate for one malicious information can ruin the entire nation.

Raising awareness on the existence of fake news is essential because we are all entitled of truth and must be protected from the negative effects of such news. Netizens armed with positive skepticism can become catalysts of change rather than victims. Those who are behind the spread of fake news are on the blacklist and are guilty of injecting a bitter pill into the minds of the public. They have done nothing good than leading us into a dead-end that deprives us of truth and transparency. Never allow ourselves to traverse a dead-end. Instead, we need to make a reroute by observing a critical and creative mind in developing a sense of responsibility and accountability of what we post online. Truly, coming together as empowered netizens will then lead us back to the

Young as we are, we must be conscious of the vital role that we have to play for a better nation. We must be at the front line in our crusade of combating fake news, until time comes that fake and deceiving news will become factual and reliable. Campus Journalism is not about writing per se. Thus, it is actually in our pens that lie the power of shaping the future. We can definitely make a lasting difference. No to fake news, yes to factual news and responsible journalism. Let our mighty pens unveil its true power!