City of San Fernando Mayor Vilma Caluag revealed her Christmas wish this year, and that is for the media to be "unbiased" and to "report just the truth and be fair" amid the proliferation of what she claimed were fake news in social media platforms.
During the Giant Lantern Festival 2025 launching, 100-day countdown and Christmas centerpiece lighting ceremony at Robinsons Starmills on Thursday, September 4, the mayor said "people do not know which and whom to believe is true and fake with reports and posts, mostly in digital platforms.
"Hindi na natin alam kung sino ang papaniwalaan natin sa lumalabas sa Tiktok, Facebook. Hindi natin alam ano ang totoo kasi ang daming fake news. Para pong sa inyong lingkod, ang daming pinalalabas na fake news. Mabuti na lang po, pinagkalooban tayo ng Diyos ng maganda at malawak na platform para maipahayag ang katotohanan sa side natin," Caluag said.
She took a swipe at what she alleged as "biased" media. "Nakakalungkot pong isipin kasi may mga media na one-sided lang. Hindi po kinukuha ang isang panig."
Caluag said her wish this Christmas is for the return of media men and women who are "not biased," "fair and brave in reporting the truth."
"Ako, wish ko ngayong Pasko, maibalik iyung dating mamahayag, iyung patas, tamang pamamahayag, iyung hindi sila bias. Para naman mabalik iyung respeto natin sa dating mamahayag na mabait, may tapang, patas na pamamahayag, iyung hindi sila bias," the mayor said.
Objective reporting will bring back the trust, confidence and respect of people in media and events reported by news outlets and platforms.
"Para naman mabalik ang respeto 'namin' sa dating mamahayag na may tapang, may dangal, may dignidad, at kampante tayo at maririnig natin iyung tamang pamamahag hindi lang po iyung iisang panig."
Caluag claimed that there are still few unbiased members of the media.
"Nakakalungkot na ngayon po, meron pa rin naman na mapagkakatiwalaan na mamahayag, pero marami ng hinde. Kaya ngayon po hindi na natin alam kung ano ang totoong nangyayari at sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo," the mayor said
"Kasi ngayon, may mga media kukuhanan ka nila, tapos i-splice nila iyung gusto lang nilang ihayag, mukhang katatawan at natatakpan na ang katotohanan. Iyun po ang wish ko ngayong taon na ito," she added.
