Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The false claim can be found in a screenshot from a Twitter post on June 13, 2023, with 339 views. The Twitter account no longer exists as of writing.

The following can also be seen in the screenshot: “President Marcos built a massive infrastructure program and had other achievements while succeeding presidents had little to show despite their huge budgets.”

The same screenshot has been spreading as early as 2019; Rappler published a fact-check of the false claim on April 8, 2019.  In that article, the source of the screenshot was a Facebook post by Larry Gadon, who was a senatorial candidate in the 2016, 2019, and 2022 elections. Gadon is also a lawyer who has been suspended by the Supreme Court at least twice for unbecoming behavior and languge.

The facts: The figures cited in the screenshot are incorrect and misleading. The NSO, now the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), releases annual expenditures, not summaries of government spending by presidency. It is also misleading to compare the peso values without adjusting for inflation.

Information from the PSA: The April 2019 Rappler fact-check cited information published by the PSA on government income and expenditures from 1966 to 1997. The figures are shown in millions, contradicting the erroneously-inflated figures shown in the screenshot.

The same information above can also be found in two resources published by the PSA and available online: (1) the 1994 Philippine Yearbook’s “Table 21.1 Summary of Government Income and Expenditures: 1964-1994,” which shows government expenditures from 1966 to 1993:

(2) the 1997 Philippine Statistical Yearbook’s Table 15.4, which shows government expenditures from 1994 to 1997. There are some inconsistencies in the figures prior to 1994 here compared to the figures in the Philippine Yearbook. (The Philippine Yearbook and the Philippine Statistical Yearbook are different publications.)

In both sources, the figures are expressed in millions. 

Adding up these figures would lead to the same results cited in Rappler’s previous fact-check:

A note on the numbers:

• 600,778 million pesos is 600,778 × 1,000,000 = 600,778,000,000 or P600.778 billion 
• 1,364,498 million pesos is 1,364,498 × 1,000,000 = 1,364,498,000,000, or around P1.364 trillion
• 2,237,907 million pesos is 2,237,907 × 1,000,000 = 2,237,907,000,000, or around P2.238 trillion

Inflated figures: The numbers in the screenshot incorrectly used commas and decimal places, resulting in outrageously large figures.

Adjusting decimal places, Marcos’ supposed spending of “P486,273 billion” would translate to P486 trillion.

Meanwhile, Aquino’s “P1,077,895 T (trillion)” expenditures would inflate the number to P1.077 quintillion, and Ramos’ “P2,237,907 T” spending would be 2.238 quintillion.

Here is a summary of the large numbers involved:

Other inaccuracies in the screenshot: It is inaccurate to state the years 1986-1991 and 1992-1997 for the Aquino and Ramos administrations, respectively, as was done in the screenshot. Aquino’s term ended on June 30, 1992, and Ramos on June 30, 1998. 

Therefore, in adding government expenditures, figures for 1998 would still have to be included for Ramos, but the 1997 Philippine Yearbook would be inadequate as a source as it does not have the 1998 expenditures. 

Also, the years mentioned in the screenshot do not properly correspond to the time periods covered by each administration as far as adding up budgets is concerned. For instance, 1986 covers both the Marcos and Aquino administrations, as Aquino took office in February 1986; 1992 covers both Aquino and Ramos. Additionally, almost the entirety of 1965 was under the administration of former president Diosdado Macapagal, as Marcos’s term only began on December 30, 1965.

As pointed out in Rappler’s previous fact-check: “To begin with, the NSO does not summarize government spending by presidency. What it publishes are annual expenditures.”

Comparability of pesos over time: The government expenditures in the various sources published by the PSA are nominal values, which are not adjusted for inflation. Without adjusting for inflation, it would be misleading to compare nominal values as the value of past pesos changes over time. – Percival Bueser/ Rappler.com

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one fact check at a time.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post containing the claim has 142 reactions, 52 comments, and 59 shares as of writing. It also includes a link to a Facebook video bearing the same claim with 65,558 views, 4,000 reactions, and 463 comments.

In the video, a narrator says: “Kaya may Maharlika Wealth Fund…dito i-p-pool ang lahat ng mga wealth assets, including gold dollars, investments, profits at iba pang mga national treasures ng Pilipinas, pati mga excess funds ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno, na nagprofit na ng mahabang panahon.”

(That’s why there is a Maharlika Wealth Fund… all the wealth assets, including gold dollars, investments, profits, and other national treasures of the Philippines, as well as excess funds of various government agencies that have been making profits for a long time, will be pooled here.)

The narrator also claimed that the elder Marcos had a 50-year gold time deposit. 

The facts: Under Senate Bill No. 2020 or the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act, the MIF will source its start-up capital from government financial institutions and the national government. No part of the bill mentions any investment of supposed Marcos wealth or gold.

A total of P125 billion will come from the Land Bank of the Philippines (P50 billion), the Development Bank of the Philippines (P25 billion), and the national government (P50 billion).

The MIF will also not draw from the Philippines’ excess wealth, foreign reserves, or pension funds.

Purpose of the fund: The proposed sovereign wealth fund will be used by the government to invest in key sectors to help fund the country’s priority programs. Its objective, according to the bill, is to “promote socioeconomic development.”

“This will be achieved by making strategic and profitable investments in key sectors to preserve and enhance long-term value of the Fund,” read the measure.

Contrary to the Facebook post’s claim, there is no mention of the fund being created for the purpose of reinvesting wealth from the Marcos family.

On alleged gold, dollar investments: Rappler has previously published several fact checks on Marcos’ alleged last will and testament and claims about the family’s wealth and alleged gold ownership.

• FACT CHECK: Marcos didn’t have 50-year gold time deposit
• FACT CHECK: Marcos doesn’t have ‘over a million metric tons’ of gold in banks worldwide
• FALSE: Marcos family owns a ‘million tons of gold’
• FACT CHECK: Marcos didn’t use family wealth for gov’t activities
• FACT CHECK: World Bank doesn’t have Marcos gold deposits

Multiple news stories and articles, including from Rappler, PhilStar, and the Presidential Commission on Good Government all report that the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth deposited in banks in Switzerland, Singapore, and the US have been turned over to the Philippine government.

Must Read

Marcos family stored ill-gotten wealth in Switzerland

Status of the bill: On May 31, the controversial Maharlka fund proposal was approved by both chambers of Congress amid opposition from critics, who cited corruption and investment risks, economic challenges, and the bill’s railroading.

The measure now only needs President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature before it becomes a law. – Rappler.com

John Sitchon is an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post, which has over 1,600 reactions and 2,000 shares, rehashes a similar claim previously fact checked by Rappler on House Bill 6522, the lower chamber’s version of the measure.

The Facebook post also includes a link to a Change.org petition against the bill for people to add their signatures. The petition has 11,148 signatures as of writing.

The facts: Senate Bill 1869 seeks to establish a Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in the Philippines and empowers health officials to enforce public health measures, although provisions in the proposed law specify conditions for exercising these powers.

Health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said that the bill will fill the gaps in health crisis response and will prepare the country for future pandemics or threats to public health. “Nowhere can you find within this CDC draft bill any provision that will state we’re going to have a medical martial law,” Vergeire said.

Conditions: The Facebook post claims that Senate Bill 1869 threatens privacy and security by allowing the government to track people’s location. Article V, Sec. 13(f) states that in case of public health emergencies, the National Telecommunications Commission shall provide the location of patients suspected of contracting a disease upon request of the CDC, “provided that the CDC ensures confidentiality of such information.”

The post also says that the proposed law would empower authorities to mandate Filipinos to go for treatment or quarantine. Under Article V, Sec. 13 (g)(5), the health secretary may “promote treatment, vaccination, or immunization against a contagious disease, [compel] the isolation or quarantine of persons who are unable or unwilling, for reasons of health, religion, or conscience, to undergo immunization or treatment,” provided that the guidelines for exercising this power “shall be formulated with the Department of Justice.”

Functions of the CDC: The CDC would be the “technical authority on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development for the prevention and control of all diseases of public health importance and health security events, whether domestic or international in origin.” 

Article III, Section 6 of the measure lists the functions of the proposed CDC:

• Develop strategies, standards, and policies for disease prevention and control
• Implement disease surveillance and field epidemiology activities
• Perform data collection and analytics
• Establish and strengthen public health laboratories
• Recommend actions for public health threats to appropriate national government bodies
• Lead public health and risk communications
• Conduct and manage health research and evidence synthesis
• Build local capacity for surveillance and health research
• Promote scientific integrity by ensuring that all its products are technically accurate, scientifically and ethically sound, and useful to the government and the intended population through the institutionalization of appropriate mechanisms and bodies

Status of the measure: Senate Bill 1869 is currently pending on second reading. Last March, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. certified the bill as urgent. – Rappler.com

Mari-An Santos is an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook video containing the claim has 2,900 reactions, 1,600 comments, and 173,000 views as of writing.

No human trial yet: Neuralink said in a tweet that recruitment for the trial has not yet opened, telling its Twitter followers that more details would be available soon. In the same tweet, the company announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had already approved starting human clinical trials for its brain implant device. 

We are excited to share that we have received the FDA’s approval to launch our first-in-human clinical study!

This is the result of incredible work by the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our…

— Neuralink (@neuralink) May 25, 2023

The US FDA said in a statement that it had cleared Neuralink to “use its brain implant and surgical robot for trials on patients” but gave no further details.

Safety concerns: Before starting human trials, the US FDA pointed out several key safety concerns that Neuralink needs to address: 

• issues involving the lithium battery of the device
• possibility of the implant’s wires migrating within the brain
• challenge of safely extracting the device without damaging brain tissue

Musk’s vision: Musk envisions the brain implants curing a range of conditions, including obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia. The device is also planned to enable Web browsing and telepathy.

Must Read

Elon Musk’s Neuralink gets FDA approval for study of brain implants in humans

The tech billionaire projected Neuralink starting human trials on four occasions already since 2019. However, the company sought FDA approval only in early 2022, and the agency rejected the application, Reuters reported in March.

Rappler has previously fact-checked claims concerning Elon Musk and his companies: 

• FACT CHECK: SIM card registration does not grant mind control over users 
• HINDI TOTOO: Pabibilisin ni Marcos ang internet sa PH sa pamamagitan ng Starlink ni Elon Musk

– Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook video, posted on June 6, has gained 6,500 views, 727 reactions, and 37 shares from an account with 88,000 followers, as of writing.

The video titled, “May SABOTAGE sa power outage ng NAIA!” has been reshared following the power outage in the NAIA Terminal 3 on June 9.

The bottom line: Even before the New Year incident, the NAIA Terminal 3 had been experiencing power outages back in 2016 and, more recently, in September 2022. 

A Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) report stated that the “inadequate maintenance program” on the terminal stations has been the leading cause of the power outages. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista admitted that the air traffic management system in the airport was already outdated in a press briefing on January 1.

NAIA 3 records on the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) state that the terminal has a design capacity for 13 million passengers. MIAA has recorded 7.3 million passengers on Terminal 3 in the first quarter of 2023, 188% larger compared to the same period in 2022. More areas are needed to be powered to accommodate all the passengers.

Talks of sabotage: Senate investigation on the New Year blackout has ruled out cyberattacks and sabotage as causes, according to the state-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA).

In the PhilStar.com article that the video cited to support the claim, Bautista only said that possibility of foul play is yet to be dismissed as probable cause for the Labor Day outage, not as a prominent lead. The article also said that power distributor Meralco already pointed out “main circuit breaker problem” as the cause of the outage.

MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co has also denied allegations that power interruptions were related to talks of NAIA’s possible privatization.

Rappler has published several fact-checks on NAIA under the Marcos administration:

• FACT CHECK:  Marcos did not order renaming of NAIA
• FACT CHECK: Marcos has no plans of shutting down NAIA
• HINDI TOTOO: Proyekto ni Ferdinand Marcos ang NAIA

– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com

Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

The Amateur Media Association of Philippine Scouts (AMAPS), the first independent Scout media group, is back and announced their second Scout Journalism Skills Training to be conducted this year.

In a Facebook post, AMAPS said that they are now ready to go back and continue their fight against misinformation and defending press freedom.

In another announcement, they said that the second edition of Kamalayaan: Kalayaan ng Kamalayan will be conducted on August 1-4, 2023, in Libmanan, Camarines Sur with two additional courses.

“IT’S OFFICIAL! Kamalayaan 2023: 2nd Scout Journalism Skills Training will be conducted on 1-4 August 2023 in Libmanan, Camarines Sur! This year’s edition will feature 13 Journalism Courses including two new courses for a better and improved Kamalayaan 2023,” AMAPS said.

The event will be free and is open to members of AMAPS and its subsidiary organizations, Scouts Against Sexual Harassment, Abuse and Scouts Action for the Environment and for Scouts, AMAPS Community Scouting Unit Network, and for those Scouts interested in joining their groups.

The same with the previous edition, Kamalayaan 2023 also aims to mobilize the Scouts in fighting disinformation with facts.

In January 2022, the Amateur Media Association of Philippine Scouts launched the Kamalayaan: Kalayaan ng Kamalayan, a Scout Journalism Skills training that aims to promote social awareness and responsible community journalism among Scouts and to advance the journalism skills of the Scouts.

From Our Archives

1st Scout Journalism Skills training concludes

AMAPS is also member of #FactsFirsPH.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in the title of the video. As of writing, the YouTube post containing the claim has 52,785 views and 1,500 likes.

The bottom line: The video did not show anything to support the claim. It just showed two unrelated videos – a photo of an alleged gold bullion certificate of ownership and a clip of Marcos during the FFCCCII convention.

What is the FFCCCII? According to its website, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. was founded in March 1954, when “leaders of various Chinese chambers of commerce and trade associations throughout the country convened at the Manila Hotel.”  

During the 1954 convention, the Federation of Chinese Chambers of Commerce in the Philippines was organized. It was eventually named Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

The FFCCCII organized Operation: Barrio Schools, an initiative that started in 1961. It has already built 5,986 schools in the country. This initiative was also mentioned by Marcos in his keynote speech. 

No certificate shown: Marcos did not show a gold bullion certificate during the 33rd biennial convention of the FFCCCII. The live recording of the event was posted by Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM). 

A transcript of Marcos’ keynote speech also shows that he didn’t mention anything about a gold bullion certificate during the event. 

Topics discussed: In his speech, Marcos highlighted the importance of the Filipino-Chinese communities in the Philippine economy. He also discussed the following: 

• FFCCCII’s community initiatives
• FFCCCII’s participation during Marcos’ state visit to China
• Agreements made and signed during state visit to China
• An executive order for strategic investments in every government department

Dubious detail in the certificate: The gold bullion certificate of ownership shown in the video said that it was intended for depositing 217,500 metric tons of gold in the “Central Bank of China, Taiwan.” However, the full name of Taiwan’s central bank is Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan). 

The declared volume of gold in the certificate is also dubious because it exceeds the total volume of all gold mined at the time the document was supposedly signed. 

In 1991, only 94,665 metric tons of gold had been mined throughout history, according to M.G. O’Callaghan’s book, The Structure and Operation of the World Gold Market, published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The gold bullion certificate of ownership shown in the video was allegedly signed in January 1986.

Rappler has previously fact-checked claims concerning dubious gold certificates and bank accounts allegedly owned by the Marcoses: 

• FACT CHECK: Marcos did not discuss family’s gold bullion account at 42nd ASEAN Summit 
• FACT CHECK: Marcos’ gold account won’t be used for biofertilizer distribution in PH
• HINDI TOTOO: Tagong Marcos gold account sa Indonesia
• FACT CHECK: Marcos did not withdraw interest from gold deposits in the World Bank
• HINDI TOTOO: May gold deposit certificate sina dating pangulong Marcos at Reagan sa Switzerland

– Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim was mentioned both in the video and in its title. The video also showed a photo of Kris Aquino wearing a necklace at the 3:15 timestamp, pointing out that it was the piece of jewelry the actress stole from the Marcos family. The Facebook video, posted on June 3, has gained 572,000 views, 19,000 reactions, and 5,500 shares from a page with 17,000 followers.

The bottom line: The Supreme Court (SC) in 2017 affirmed the Sandiganbayan’s ruling on the forfeiture of former First Lady Imelda Marcos’ Malacañang collection as it was declared ill-gotten. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7080 states that “any and all ill-gotten wealth and their interests and other incomes and assets” are “forfeited in favor of the State.”

The SC resolution said that the former first lady and her daughter Irene Marcos-Araneta “failed to satisfactorily show that the properties were lawfully acquired.”

Parts of the Marcoses’ ill-gotten jewelry collection have remained in the vaults of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for almost three decades. As of writing, there have been no orders to return the retrieved jewelry to the Marcoses.

Truth behind the jewelry in question: The photo of Kris Aquino wearing the allegedly stolen necklace was taken in 2016. At the time, false rumors that she stole the jewelry from the Marcoses already circulated. 

Kris Aquino herself had declared that the necklace she wore was made from cubic zirconia and silver, not diamonds. She also said that her necklace was from Bottega Veneta.

Rappler has published several fact-check stories about the Aquinos’ supposed theft from the Marcoses:

• HOAX: Marcos gold bars, jewelry ‘taken by Aquinos,’ opposition
• HOAX: Kris Aquino wears ‘Imelda Marcos’ necklace’
• FACT CHECK: Hindi ninakaw ni Kris Aquino ang mga alahas ni Imelda Marcos
• FACT CHECK: Marcos didn’t have 50-year gold time deposit

– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com

Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

The project dubbed #VoicesFromTheRegions, led by Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH, was done with the support of Community Solutions Program. It was in partnership with Tib-ong Kabataan Inc, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Western Visayas, Daily Guardian, iWrite, and University of the Philippines Visayas – Miagao. The activity gathered more than 80 residents including students, teachers, and 4Ps beneficiaries.

During the community dialogue, participants shared how they benefited from social media as they used online platforms for business, news, and important weather updates, research and education purposes, and the like.

“Importante gid man ang sa social media kay dira mo mabal-an ang mga impormasyon kag…mga balita sa palibot naton…mga nagakaratabo kag kung…halimbawa bagyo… kung ano ang weather sa sunod nga adlaw (Social media is truly important because that’s where you can know information and news and weather updates),” 4Ps beneficiary Jennyrose Muyong shared.

Some of them were also pushed to use social media platforms at the height of the pandemic: “Pag COVID kasi na wala gid kami bala sales bilog na year pag umpisa, te nag-gamit kami online para nga maka-income kami (When COVID happened, we didn’t have sales at all the whole year so we used online platforms to generate income),” said Anilene Tijing, a Miagao hablon weaver who used Facebook as an e-commerce platform to market and sell her goods. 

Lack of access to quality information online

Despite the benefits though, some shared several challenges they faced, especially by vulnerable groups and those in faraway provinces. In some areas of Miagao, for example, there was no stable internet connection, hindering their access to social media. This meant locals there had limited access to information and opportunities offered by digital platforms.

But the problem did not end there. Even those who had stable access to the internet still struggled with availability of quality information. Some locals of Miagao said that others got their information from alternative sources on social media because these were more available and did not require data. As most used free data on Facebook and other platforms, people were exposed to viral content regardless of accuracy.

“Doon sila pumupunta sa misinformed tsaka disinformed sites dahil ‘yun ang readily available tsaka mura… So imagine mo kung anong klaseng social media sites na napupuntahan nyan. And that would explain, sa palagay ko, kung bakit sila naniniwala sa false news, kasi ‘yan ‘yung nakikita nila sa social media, ‘yan ‘yung level of quality na nakikita nila,” chairperson of Division of Professional Education at University of the Philippines Pepito Ferdinandez said. 

(They encounter misinformation and disinformation because that’s readily available on social media. Imagine the kind of sites they visit because its accessible and cheap. That would perhaps explain, I think, why they easily fall into false news because that’s what they see on social media, that’s the level of quality they see.)

With algorithms as new gatekeepers of information, some participants argued that this had made Filipinos more vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation. They shared how some trust sources because of their high engagement, even if the information may potentially be false or misleading.

“[They think..] engagement still matters for the reliability of the source or the [likes and] shares of the story… They also try to check the number of shares and comments,” UP Visayas instructor Aljohn Torreta said as he shared the points raised in his dialogue group. 

Exposure to scams, dangers of social media

Irresponsible social media use not only leads to susceptibility to disinformation. It could also lead to harm and susceptibility to digital fraud.

During the dialogue, some participants flagged the proliferation of scammers in the digital landscape. Among the most common false information being spread on social media involves cash grants that pretend to be from DSWD. Rappler, for instance, has fact-checked several false claims related to this. 

DSWD Western Visayas Regional Information Officer May Rago Castillo narrated how some 4Ps beneficiaries fell for misinformation and text scams during DSWD payouts that involved change in schedule or additional cash assistance. There were also scams that targeted senior citizens, coaxing the elderly to become members of a certain organization, asking them to pay certain fees.

“In the release of assistance to individuals in crisis situations, do not believe people who will tell you that you have to go to a certain politician to get a referral. You can get our assistance even without the referral,” Castillo said, debunking some false claims.

Some beneficiaries like Juanita Muyana shared how she personally experienced being scammed when a hacker used her personal Facebook account to solicit donations from her friends using virtual wallet Gcash. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)

Given these challenges, people should learn how to use social media responsibly. For one, parents can guide their children. 

But according to Carl Dulla, a community leader at Tib-ong Kabataan, parents and families who have access to social media will most likely focus on their main priority. That priority is to provide income for their families. Thinking about how to focus and analyze what they see and read online is on the back burner.

“What happens is, when it comes to responsibilities on social media, parents should lead the talk to guide their family. When parents do not have access, it’s the children who have. But they are unable to use that for good or to their advantage,” Dulla said in Filipino.

What can be done

In cases of scams, Castillo advised the audience to coordinate and report to the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU) of the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) Western Visayas and file a blotter of scam incidents at the nearest police station. She also suggested deleting payment history in apps as it can be used by other people for other purposes. (EXPLAINER: What is digital fraud and how do you protect yourself from scams?)

On top of this, it is also important that individuals are taught how to critically scrutinize online information because this has real-life impact: “It’s not enough to orient people about how to use social media responsibly but also give them quality access [so they can learn and access verified sources],” Fernandez added. (FAQs: Fact-checking to stop disinformation online)

For Castillo, though, one way to go about this is to create infographics and notices debunking false information that would be easily available and relatable to communities both online and on-ground.

“So if we see fake news, we come up with infographics telling that this is fake news and that this is not supposed to be followed by our beneficiaries. We post notices and press releases on the matter so beneficiaries would be aware. We have field-workers who can actually clarify matters if there are issues,” Castillo pointed out in the panel discussion that proceeded after the dialogue. 

Local news media Daily Guardian editor in chief Francis Angelo reminded the participants of the importance of research: “[Kailangan natin ng] mas malalim pang pag-aaral at pag-examine sa mga nakikita natin sa Facebook […] Bago mag-click, mag-share, o mag-comment at engage, basahin o i-verify muna. (We need deeper research and examination of the content we see on Facebook. Before we click, share, or comment, read or verify first.).

Angelo also highlighted the importance of journalism in today’s media landscape and the need to strengthen community journalism: “Journalists go out of their way to bring factual information to inform and educate the masses… That’s the purpose of journalism – to clarify everything, explain the issue, and let the people decide, debate if needed.”

He also mentioned what differentiates journalists from content creators is the process of verification that stories have to go through before they are published.

“[Para sa mga] journalists, may mga pinagdadaanan ang ating mga balita (For journalists, stories go through various processes of verification),” Angelo said, pointing out the stark contrast with content creators whose posts primarily aim to engage and entertain audience along the way. 

For UP Visayas iWrite campus publication adviser Zoilo Andrada Jr., collaborating with various sectors can help promote responsible social media use.

“I created a student org called iWrite to expose the members of our organization. The word is collaboration, we are willing to work with the municipality, other schools, with the residents of the community, and the UP Visayas. It’s a big challenge for our journalism students to really realize this kind of endeavor,” Andrada added, emphasizing the role that locals and students can do to spread facts. 

Rappler’s community and civic engagement specialist and project lead of #VoicesFromTheRegions initiative Jene Anne Pangue echoed this. She cited how various sectors can complement the work of organizations in fighting disinformation and promoting digital citizenship.

“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, there are existing efforts that are being done to help combat disinformation and amplify facts. One big movement is through #FactsFirstPH. We saw how the work does not only involve the media, government or private institutions. It’s the entire nation. Each community member has the capacity to help. Each of us has a voice that we can amplify. Use it for the good and in a responsible way,” she added. – with reports from Myrrh Flores/Rappler.com 

Myrrh Flores is a Rappler volunteer from University of the Philippines Visayas. She is a freshman studying Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies, currently specializing in Journalism and Radio Broadcast.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the video posted by YouTube channel PINAS NEWS INSIDER, has gained 24,000 views and 1,100 likes.

The bottom line:  No statements were released on Marcos’ official Facebook and Twitter accounts, Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), or the Office of the President indicating that he had issued an order for Davila to leave the country. Content on these platforms consisted mostly of netizens’ comments urging Marcos to take action against Karen Davila.

These comments were triggered by a supposed statement by Davila, suggesting she would migrate to another country if Marcos won the presidential election. Davila never made such a statement.

During an episode of ANC’s Headstart, Senator Imee Marcos jokingly said that she thought Davila would leave if her family won: “It’s nice to see you’re still here in the Philippines. Akala ko magma-migrate ka ‘pag nanalo ang Marcos.” Davila responded by saying, “Hoping always for the best for the country.“

Moreover, the video only provided clips of Marcos during an interview at the 125th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Navy last May 26, 2023. None of the questions had any relation to the claim. – Andrei Santos/Rappler.com

Andrei Santos is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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