Young leaders push ‘culture of truth’

A new organization led by a younger generation of leaders is taking on the challenge of fighting disinformation, misinformation and malign influence.

The Center for Information Resilience and Integrity Studies (CIRIS), an independent group founded by emerging voices in governance and communications, is at the forefront of the fight, its leaders say.

Founded by Michel André P. del Rosario, a former assistant secretary at the Presidential Communications Office, along with Christopher Balagtas and Erik Chua, CIRIS is on a mission to combat foreign influence campaigns.

"Disinformation is not just a nuisance -- it’s a national threat,” del Rosario said. "Our generation cannot afford to stay passive. We need to ensure that the truth not only gets told but also gets heard and felt.”

CIRIS maintains its independence, saying its work is guided only by truth and the public interest, not by a political agenda.

"Credibility means standing by the facts, even when they’re inconvenient,” Balagtas said. “We don’t shape truth to fit a story—we shape stories around the truth.”

One of the group's projects is the short film "Alon ng Kabayanihan" which aims to rally Filipinos to defend the country's sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. The campaign focuses on verifiable actions and the lived experiences of Filipino communities.

"The fight for the West Philippine Sea is, above all, a fight for truth,” Del Rosario said. “Disinformation weakens our freedom to protect what’s ours -- our seas, our food, our communities, and our nation’s future.”

The group also runs programs on digital literacy, helping Filipinos spot online red flags like AI-generated fakes and coordinated troll networks. CIRIS supports "replicate" organizations in schools and communities to train the next generation to fight disinformation locally.

They also believe that the battle against falsehoods is not won by facts alone, but by how truth is delivered. Its approach combines research, strategic communication and emotionally resonant storytelling to make verified information more compelling than lies.

The CIRIS-supported documentary "Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea" recently won the Tides of Change Award at the Doc Edge International Film Festival in New Zealand, despite attempts by foreign actors to have it pulled from the lineup.

“Our mission is to build digital resilience,” Balagtas said. “We want Filipinos to think critically before clicking, liking, or sharing. To pause. To verify. To protect our democracy from within.”