A Facebook (FB) page uploaded a news graphic about a supposed “Super Typhoon Auring” inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this June. This is fabricated.
Posted on June 4, a social media card bearing the logos of TV Patrol and ABS-CBN News as well as photos of a supposed super typhoon, had a headline that read:
“Super Typhoon Auring patuloy na lumalakas habang tinutumbok ang Luzon Area (Super Typhoon Auring continues to strengthen as it lambasts Luzon Area).”
A VERA Files’ Messenger Misinformation Tipline user asked if there is a super typhoon presently in the Philippines.
The graphic is fake. ABS-CBN News did not release such a news card and there is no such super typhoon in the Philippines as of writing.
As of June 9, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is monitoring a low-pressure area that might develop into a tropical depression. If it strengthens into a tropical cyclone, it will be named “Auring” – the first in the weather bureau’s list of typhoon names for 2025.
The fake graphic also carried old images of Super Typhoon Goni, which devastated the Philippines in 2020. The first photo is a satellite image of Goni, while the other is an illustration of its track and position.
The link attached to the post leads netizens to an e-commerce website and not to the supposed story. This is a tactic used in affiliate marketing that aims to drive netizens to a product website.
The fake graphic was posted two days after PAGASA announced the onset of the rainy season.
VERA Files also debunked other typhoon-related disinformation last year.
The post by the FB page Partido Local (created on June 1) has so far garnered 172 engagements. Some users shared the post on several FB groups.
