A Facebook (FB) post is claiming that all Malasakit Centers will be distributing a P5,000 cash aid to barangay halls nationwide. This is fake.
On May 26, an FB page published the spurious post with the caption:
“P5K Malasakit Bawat Barangay Hall Na Ang Payout! Mag-Palista Dito: [link]. Kung hindi maka Palista Mag-Message Dito: [link]. Mag-Palista Na!
(P5K payout from Malasakit now available in every barangay hall! ! Sign up here: [Link]. If you are unable to sign up then message us here: [link]. Sign up now!)”
It also carried a graphic bearing the photo of Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go to further legitimize its fake claim, adding that there are no requirements to be considered eligible for the cash assistance and that everyone can receive the money.
This post is spreading a scam. The links included in the captions also lead to e-commerce sites – which is a glaring red flag.
Go, the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 11463 which established Malasakit Centers, disowned the posts, saying these are scams designed to get people’s personal information.
“Kailanman, hindi namimigay ng pera ang ating mga Malasakit Centers dahil ang mandato nito ay ang tulungang mabawasan ang hospital bill ng pasyente,” Go said in a May 23 statement.
Malasakit Centers are “one-stop shops” located in public hospitals where the public can easily access government health services – handled by multiple government agencies like PhilHealth, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development – without having to leave the health facility.
Scams like this spurious post continue to circulate two weeks after the May 12 midterm polls where Go was the topnotcher in the senatorial race.
FB page Malasakit By Barangay Hall (created on May 24) published the post, garnering over 1,500 reactions and 9,000 shares.
