Duterte orders state media to highlight PH COVID-19 performance

President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed government media to report that the Philippines is performing better than other countries in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

A memo from the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) directs all state-run media platforms to regularly include world data on COVID-19, highlighting the country's perceived better performance.

PCOO Director Virginia Arcilla-Agtay stated that this directive aims to provide adequate information and promote working policies related to the pandemic.

Agtay defended the memo, asserting that it is not a lie but an amplification of facts, citing a decrease in the COVID-19 reproduction number in Metro Manila as evidence.

The updates are to be integrated into various media formats, including television and radio newscasts and daily social media posts.