VERA Files
Several Facebook (FB) posts are claiming that the government’s Malasakit Centers are giving away cash assistance worth P6,000 to students in all levels. These are fake. The Centers have no such program.
The posts surfaced last May 2, two of them carrying photos of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and the Malasakit Center’s logo. One of the graphics bore this text:
“MALASAKIT CASH ASSISTANCE 2024-2025. ALL STUDENT IN COLLEGE | SENIOR HIGH | HIGH SCHOOL | ELEMENTARY WILL RECEIVE P6,000 PESOS. Fill up the application form. P6,000 CASH ASSISTANCE. REQUIREMENTS: VALID ID. APPLY NOW.”
The other graphic bore a photo and a fabricated statement from Go to further encourage netizens to apply:
“Hindi Lamang May Sakit ang aming tutulungan, maging ang mga NAG-AARAL ay bibigyan namin ng P6,000.00. Bawat Isa sa Kalagitnaan Ng Init ng Panahon. (We will help not only the sick, we will also give P6,000.00 to STUDENTS. Each one in the middle of the hot weather.”
The posts lead netizens to websites asking for their personal information so they can avail themselves of the service. One of the websites is already inaccessible while one bears the domain name governmentcashassistanceprogram.blogspot.com.
On May 5, Go’s verified FB page posted an advisory clarifying that the Malasakit Centers have no educational assistance program.
“FAKE NEWS ALERT! HINDI NAGBIBIGAY NG EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ANG MALASAKIT CENTERS! Pinag-iingat ni Senator Bong Go ang publiko sa mga scam sa social media na ginagamit ang kanyang imahe o pangalan ng anumang government services
(MALASAKIT CENTERS ARE NOT GIVING AWAY EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE. Senator Bong Go cautions the public of scams in social media that use his image or name of any government services,” a part of the statement read.
Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that provide medical and financial assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated patients.
Located in the Department of Health and other government hospitals across the country, it allows patients to avail of the assistance offered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
There are 162 Malasakit Centers as of April since the Republic Act 11463, a pet project of Go, was signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019.
The posts circulated three weeks after the launching of the latest center at the First Misamis Oriental General Hospital in Medina, Misamis Oriental.
Several netizens fell for the scam, many asking how to apply in the comment sections.
VERA Files Fact Check has been monitoring and debunking scam posts that pretend to be affiliated with government agencies in order to collect personal information. (Read Posts on DepEd cash aid for graduating students FAKE)
The graphics shared by the FB pages Philippines Scholar (created on Feb. 9, 2024) and PRC Board (created on Aug. 12, 2022 as DSWD Schoolarship 2022-2023) and on the FB groups DSWD NEWS AND UPDATE (created on Sept. 5, 2023 as 4P’S PAYOUT UPDATE 2023&2024) and DSWD NEWS UPDATE 2024 (created on Aug. 12, 2022 as UNIFAST – CHED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2024-2025) collectively garnered 1,479 engagements.
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
