At least three Facebook pages quickly spread a claim that victims of the Mindanao earthquake received “zero budget” after the destructive quake struck the region because they are pro-Duterte. There’s no truth in it.
The claim was originally published by expelled Cavite representative Kiko Barzaga on June 18, saying:
“Yung mga biktima ng lindol sa Mindanao, ginawang Zero Budget dahil Pro-Duterte sila! Salamat Taxpayers! #CrocodileFarm
(Victims of the earthquake in Mindanao given zero budget because they are pro-Duterte! Thank you, taxpayers! #CrocodileFarm).”
Two FB pages reposted the claim within three hours after Barzaga’s post was published. The following day, an FB page also shared the claim, this time as an FB reel with a news report audio track.
Before the post was published, a rumor circulated that General Santos City did not receive any funds for maintenance and other operating expenses, a claim denied by House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos during a chance interview at the Batasang Pambansa complex.
The truth is, the Department of Budget and Management released an initial ₱362 million specifically for the rehabilitation of infrastructures in Sarangani, South Cotabato, and General Santos City.
The fund was released upon the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos as part of the national government’s broader disaster response and recovery financing strategy to provide immediate assistance to the affected communities.
An additional ₱278 million from the Office of the President’s Socio-Civic Projects Fund was distributed directly by the president to 19 affected local government units, primarily for immediate humanitarian cash assistance, family food packs, burial support, and the expedited rehabilitation of communities.
At the House, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has proposed the allocation of P15 million supplemental budget to fund recovery efforts in Mindanao.
This was not the first time Barzaga has spread false information. On May 13, he falsely claimed that the shooting in the Senate resulted in multiple deaths.
As of writing, the inaccurate post published by FB users Brader Kabisdak TV (created on July 15, 2024), Cebu Flash Report (created on July 5, 2017), and DM Latest (created on October 1, 2016) collectively garnered 935 reactions; 141 comments; and 130 shares.
