Disinformation Expected to Escalate as Political Groups Prepare for 2028 Election

Fact-Checkers Urge Public to Guard Against Emotional Biases When Consuming Political Content

In an era of escalating political disinformation, experts are calling on Filipinos to be more vigilant about their emotional responses to political content shared online. This advice comes as the Philippines faces deepening political divisions and a surge in false information following a tumultuous political year.

“Fact-checkers should remind the public to watch their emotions when consuming content from social media that they need to verify to be factual,” said Cleve Arguelles, political scientist and president of public opinion research firm WR-Numero, during a recent special episode of “What The F” focused on political disinformation in 2025.

Arguelles and VERA Files senior editor Tress Martelino-Reyes highlighted how disinformation tactics deliberately target emotional responses rather than rational thinking. “It’s no longer about the truth, but how you resonate with people because they agree with what you’re saying,” Reyes explained. “They watch you or believe you whether what you say is true or not.”

This emotional bias manifests in everyday decision-making, with Arguelles noting that “people have a tendency to believe information shared by their spouse or partner despite evidence that this is false.” Such cognitive biases make citizens particularly vulnerable to misinformation campaigns.

The data reveals concerning trends. Of the 329 politics-related claims fact-checked by VERA Files in 2025, 118 (approximately 35%) involved Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. Most of these were pro-Duterte narratives, particularly repeating false claims about the former president being kidnapped and subsequently released from detention by the International Criminal Court after his arrest for alleged crimes against humanity.

The political landscape fractured significantly following the controversial collapse of the “UniTeam” alliance between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte. This division created what experts describe as “fertile ground for misinformation and disinformation” throughout a year marked by unprecedented political upheaval.

The past year witnessed extraordinary political events that fueled the information crisis: the impeachment of the vice president, the transfer of a former president to face international trial, contentious mid-term elections, leadership overhauls in both houses of Congress, and unresolved corruption scandals in government projects.

Looking ahead to the 2028 presidential elections, Arguelles offered a sobering prediction: “I think all these political machineries will turn to disinformation to help themselves win this competition.” His assessment suggests the information environment may deteriorate further as political factions position themselves for the upcoming presidential race.

The situation highlights the growing challenge for Filipino voters who must navigate increasingly sophisticated disinformation campaigns. Fact-checking organizations like VERA Files have expanded their efforts, but the sheer volume of false information circulating on social media platforms presents a daunting challenge.

Media literacy experts suggest that beyond fact-checking individual claims, developing emotional awareness when consuming news may be equally important. Recognizing when content is designed to trigger outrage, fear, or tribal loyalty can help citizens approach political information more critically.

As the Philippines moves closer to another high-stakes election cycle, the battle against disinformation has emerged as a crucial factor in preserving democratic discourse. For fact-checkers and concerned citizens alike, addressing both the factual inaccuracies and the emotional manipulation that drives their spread represents the new frontier in the fight for information integrity.