Philippine ‘Avengers’ battle disinformation before election

Marcos Jr gestures as he delivers his speech during the first day of campaign period for the 2022 presidential election, in Bocaue, Bulacan province, Philippines, on Feb 8, 2022. From lawyers to priests, Philippine fact-checking coalitions are fighting fake news on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and TikTok ahead of the May 9 election. — Reuters

BANGKOK/MANILA: At St. Francis of Assisi church in Manila, as parishioners kneel and bow their heads in prayer at Sunday mass, the lector appeals for a safe, peaceful and honest presidential election.

The prayer – recited in Tagalog or English to a nation of some 85 million Catholics – also seeks deliverance from “dishonesty, lies and all distortion of truth”.