Image: Facebook/Marvin Agustin
Marvin Agustin reminded the public to verify the information they receive and share about COVID-19, which has left the world including the Philippines on edge.
“We are more informed now but are these info helpful or taking us to wrong direction?” he said in his Instagram post last Monday, March 9.
He then cited how people are forwarding screenshots of messages about avoiding places because of the coronavirus outbreak. While the messages may be well intentioned, Agustin cautioned his followers to first ensure that the information they share are true.
The actor also pointed out how one may immediately receive similar messages upon opening their cellphone, but admitted that verifying all the information one gets may take too much of their time. He added that the sudden rush of information might lead others to feel scared and make them confused about which messages are true and which are not.
“Dito natin naiisip na, buti pa dati, na pag kailangan natin malaman ang balita—dyaryo, TV at radyo ang takbuhan natin para mapanatag ang kalooban kung tama ang naririnig,” he said.
(This is when we think that it was better before, when if we needed to know the news—newspapers, TV and radios were what we ran to so we could reassure ourselves that what we heard was true.)
Agustin then commented that nowadays, news comes from anywhere. While we receive information faster now, he said that it gives everyone more responsibility to verify the information they get to ensure that they do not become a source of fake news.
Over 90,000 people globally have tested positive for COVID-19, while more than 3,100 have died from it. Meanwhile, the Philippines has 33 confirmed cases of the disease. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said only two of the cases were deemed “critical,” while the remaining 31 were “mild to moderate.” /ra
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