A viral post on Facebook claimed that the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) released an alleged list of places in the country that will be struck by earthquakes. This is fake, according to the agency.
On Oct. 11, an FB page published a spurious video with the caption:
“MAG INGAT PO TAYO SA LINDOL ANO MANG ARAW O ORAS POSIBLE TAYONG TATAMAAN. Ito Ang listahan ng Mga Lugar na tatamaan tingnan: [website link]
Let us take care amid these earthquakes that might possibly hit us any day or hour. Here are the lists of places that will be struck. Look: [website link])”
The 16-second video shows a newscaster stating that Phivolcs released the list, leading a lot of its viewers to believe the linked website list is legitimate.
The video bears the station ID “DSWD Television News and Update,” which is not a legitimate news station or broadcasting company. The logo of Gemini, Google’s “AI assistant,” is also shown at the bottom right corner of the video – a huge tell-tale sign the video was generated using artificial intelligence.
Phivolcs disowned the video. “DOST-PHIVOLCS did not release any list of specific regions that will supposedly be hit by future earthquakes, as falsely claimed in the circulating AI-generated video,” Melissa Tamayo, a Science Research Specialist under PHIVOLCS, said to VERA Files Fact Check on Oct. 15.
“We understand the public’s heightened concern following the recent earthquakes in Visayas and Mindanao, and we encourage everyone to get information only from official PHIVOLCS channels. Our goal is to inform, not to alarm,” she also said.
Tamayo further added that what Phivolcs provides are “scientifically-based” earthquake scenarios and hazard assessments to guide preparedness, planning, and risk reduction efforts.
The agency warned about such videos on their official Facebook page, clarifying that there is no technology in the world that can predict earthquakes.
The video became viral after Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said in an Oct. 13 interview that the “probability” of the “Big One,” a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila, happening is “increasing as we get closer to 2058.”
Impostor FB page DSWD Television (created on Sept. 3) published the video with the made-up claim, garnering over 32,000 reactions, 2,100 comments, 7,200 shares and 2.2 million views.
