Multiple Facebook users and pages are circulating an “emergency heat alert” graphic warning that temperatures in the Philippines would reach 45 to 55 degrees Celsius from April 19 to May 31. This is fake.
A reverse image search led VERA Files to a copy of the graphic posted as early as April 15 by an Indian-based X (formerly Twitter) account.
The graphic, bearing alleged “critical information,” precautions, and instructions about the “emergency heat alert,” does not specifically refer to the Philippines but some Filipino-owned FB accounts which shared the image from April 18 to 22 made it appear so.
On April 22, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration debunked this claim in its official FB page, noting that it had not issued such an alert about extreme temperatures.
Results from the artificial intelligence detection tool, Hive Moderation, showed the graphic is 95.4% likely to be AI-generated. Gemini’s four-pointed star watermark can be seen on the bottom-right corner of the image, confirming that it was generated using Google’s AI assistant tool.
The bogus graphic spread in the local online space on the same day PAGASA reported in its April 18 heat index bulletin that most parts of the country could experience temperatures ranging from 33 to 41 degrees Celsius on April 19 and 20.
Based on the state weather bureau’s 5 p.m. forecast for April 27, at least 13 areas across the Philippines would reach “danger” level peak heat indices on April 29.
The heat index or “apparent temperature” measures what air temperature and relative humidity feel like to the human body. When the heat index reaches a range of 42 to 51 degrees Celcius, it falls under PAG-ASA’s “danger” category during which heat stroke, cramps and heat exhaustion may occur under continued exposure to the sun..
At least 10 FB posts carrying the fraudulent graphic collectively had garnered 310 engagements as of writing.
