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MANILA, Philippines — On Thursday, a group of journalists expressed their displeasure with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and online news outlet Rappler’s partnership on voter engagement and disinformation in the run-up to the May 9 elections.

The National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC), one of the country’s oldest and largest groups of active press members, wrote to Comelec interim chairperson Socorro Inting, claiming that the poll authority made a mistake when it teamed with Rappler.

“While we respect the Comelec’s right to collaborate with anyone to ensure that the upcoming election is ‘clean, credible, honest, and transparent,’ we believe that your selection of Rappler as a “valuable partner” in the dissemination of “truthful information” is a contradiction that most Filipinos find unacceptable. We’re protesting because, like most Filipinos and you, we want to see and experience a clean, credible, honest, and transparent election, the outcome of which would likely determine the country’s direction in the following years. “However, your pick of Rappler is unquestionably a step in the wrong direction,” the letter’s president, Paul Gutierrez, wrote.

Rappler’s “spotty record” in reporting, according to Gutierrez, led to the company’s current legal troubles.

“However, we would want to draw your attention to the fact that the majority of Rappler’s current legal difficulties stem from the fact that it is a foreign-funded media outlet, which is in violation of our Constitution.” Maria Ressa, the company’s CEO, was found guilty of criminal libel in a Manila court for biased reporting, a fact that cannot be concealed by the numerous ‘awards’ she has received from foreign-based media organizations. We could go on and on on why we don’t agree with your MOA with Rappler. But our main message is that your choice will not improve the credibility of the upcoming election, which we all hope for.” Gutierrez continued.

Comelec officials led by Inting and Rappler officials signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, designating Rappler as one of their official partners in the public information campaign for the May 9 elections.

MovePH Collaboration, Comelec Online Show, Radyo Comelec podcast, Workshops and Seminars, Fact-checking, PHVote website, and Precinct Finder are among the Rappler’s initiatives.

“On behalf of the Commission, I’d want to express my gratitude to Rappler for helping to lighten our load.” “Our signatures in this agreement signify more than a cooperation in the polls’ preparations; it also symbolizes our institution’s steadfast commitment to Voter Education so that the public may make an informed decision on May 9,” Inting added in her speech.

Rappler agrees to use its resources to assist Comelec in disseminating useful information and engaging the public both online and offline as part of the agreement.

To enable a broader response to common complaints, Rappler’s awareness-building initiatives would include producing compelling material, shareable infographics, and informative videos.

The Precinct Finder and Post Finder will be available on Rappler’s website once they are launched. It will make these services more mobile-friendly and give voters quick access to critical information, particularly on election day.

In the 2013 elections, the polling organization teamed up with Rappler for the first time.

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