Access to the right information can be equally important as direct social assistance in uplifting the poor and marginalized, the spokesperson of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said, as she called on government communicators to strengthen efforts against disinformation.

“Every message has the power to connect the government with its people. Our words can mean the difference between doubt and trust, between confusion and clarity, between despair and hope,” DSWD Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao said on Thursday, 4 September, during the third day of the 2025 National Information Officers (IO) Conference at the Madison 101 Hotel in Quezon City.

In her song- and graphics-filled presentation on the art and science of being a spokesperson, Asst. Secretary Dumlao urged the information officers of the DSWD’s Central and Regional Field Offices to boost communication efforts to better help the Filipino public understand the agency’s programs and services. The DSWD spokesperson emphasized that public service is not only limited to program delivery but also includes effective communications that allow communities to navigate services, clarify policies, and counter misinformation.

The department’s recently launched anti-fake news campaign dubbed “Tamang Tulong sa Tamang Impormasyon” is one of its strategic approaches in combating disinformation and finding ways to cut through public noise, as cited by Asst. Secretary Dumlao.

“There will be times when criticisms outweigh recognition, or when misinformation spreads faster than truth. In those moments, effective communicators must stay grounded in values... this is how we remain steadfast in our duty — by ensuring that what we share reflects both accuracy and empathy, so that the vulnerable truly feel the presence of government in their lives,” Dumlao pointed out.

Anchored on Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s directive, “Tamang Tulong sa Tamang Impormasyon” was launched in March 2025 to reinforce the DSWD’s fight against misinformation and disinformation that often preys on the needs of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized clients of the DSWD.

As part of the campaign, the department and its Regional Field Offices (FOs) nationwide are spearheading information caravans to educate the public on how and where to access accurate and verified information pertaining to the DSWD’s programs and services.

Led by the Strategic Communications Group of the DSWD, the four-day IO conference gathered information officers from different Regional Field Offices (FOs) and National Program Management Offices (NPMOs) to harmonize the agency’s communication strategies, anchored on the directions laid down by Secretary Gatchalian.