Two photos, stitched together, supposedly showing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ housing program are circulating on various social media platforms. This is misleading.
Netizens have been sharing the set of images on Facebook (FB) and TikTok since Nov. 5. The first photo shows three individuals with housing materials like galvanized iron sheets and plywood while the other image is a row of structures about the size of small sheds.
In the middle of the collage is this text:
“PABAHAY NI BBM (Housing project of BBM) 110 million.”
These posts are misleading. The images are unrelated to the administration’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program which aims to provide housing units for its recipients.
The first photo was taken when Marcos led the Nov. 4 distribution of housing materials and essentials to residents affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in Talisay, Batangas.
While the aid distribution was a joint effort of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the Metrobank Foundation Inc., and local government units, it is not part of the 4PH program.
Further misleading the netizens is the second photo. According to a copy uploaded by a user with a Vietnamese name on Flickr in 2009, it was taken on March 12, 2005. Blog posts from 2011 indicate that these are toilets in Vietnam.
The posts circulated a day after aid distribution in the Municipality of Talisay. Nov. 4 was also declared as a Day of National Mourning for the victims of typhoon Kristine.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, the Marcos administration distributed P109.78 million in government aid to the typhoon victims in Batangas province.
A copy uploaded on TikTok by user @ricoboy1114 garnered 49,100 reactions, 8,215 comments, 6,898 shares and 1,200,000 views. Five posts by FB users and pages also collectively garnered 373 reactions, 128 comments and 47 shares.
