A Facebook post claims that Malacañang ordered the installation of a 50-kilometer-long, 80-story velvet curtain to conceal poverty around Metro Manila ahead of the ASEAN Summit. This is satire.
The post published on Nov. 8 features an image of informal stilt homes overlaid with this text in bold letters:
“MALACAÑANG ORDERS MASSIVE 50-KILOMETER CURTAIN TO HIDE POVERTY FOR ASEAN SUMMIT.”
The caption accompanying the image reads:
“In preparation for the upcoming ASEAN Summit, Malacañang has ordered the installation of a 50-kilometer-long, 80-story-high velvet curtain reminiscent of the Imelda era to conceal local poverty from visiting foreign dignitaries. The massive structure—reportedly visible from space and costlier than building 200,000 single-story homes—will display printed images of Swiss villages, luxury condominiums, and happy Filipino millionaires. Residents living behind the barrier have been instructed not to peek, open their windows, or hang laundry, while officials assured the public that poverty will resume normal operations as soon as the delegates depart.“
The post is political satire parodying past controversies over “cosmetic governance” and beautification drives for international conferences in the Pbilippines. However, comments from several netizens indicate they believed the claim to be accurate.
“who are the delegates? we will send these photos for them to let them know what is behind those roads they are passing by 😁”
“Ganyan din ang ginawa ni Abnoy NoyNoy noon, pareho lang si bangag
(That’s what Abnoy NoyNoy did back then too, bangag is just the same).”
“Kung sa Davao nyo ginanap, edi wala kayo tatakpan.😜
(If you held it in Davao, you wouldn’t have to cover up anything).”
“But social media can reveal these. Almost all Filipinos have facebook or tiktok so still they can’t hide reality”
“Lagpas na sa pangarap ni bangag na maging Singapore ang pinas naging Singapoorest🤣🤣🤣
(This past bangag’s dream for the Philippines to become like Singapore; it turned into ‘Singapoorest’ instead).”
Malacañang and the Metro Manila Development Authority have not announced the installation of an 80-story curtain in the metropolis.
Preparation for the ASEAN Leaders’ meeting and related summits have centered on logistics and diplomatic arrangements, especially at the Philippine International Convention Center where the conference will be held, based on briefings in Malacanang and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The ASEAN National Organizing Council has focused strictly on plenary hall logistics, the arrangements for the International Media Center, and security matters.
The satirical post is a throwback to the martial law years when former first lady Imelda Marcos ordered the controversial whitewashing of fences and walls along the airport expressways to screen off shanties during the 1974 Miss Universe pageant and the 1976 IMF–World Bank summit. Similar controversy came up during the term of former president Benigno Aquino, III when the country hosted the 2012 Asian Development Bank conference and the 2015 Papal Visit as the government put up decorative tarpaulins around key routes and informal settlers were relocated.
The post surfaced as the county prepares to host the summits on Nov. 16 to 18 which some 20 heads of state are expected to attend.
The post, published by FB page CEBU KNOWS (created Nov. 8, 2019), taking off from a similar satirical post by a media outlet, has so far garnered 108,060 reactions; 5,300 comments; and 8,800 shares.
