A two-month-old post that claims mainstream broadcasters ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV-5 have not produced stories on the Duterte administration’s housing projects in war-torn Marawi is false.
Pro-Duterte Facebook page Anak ako ni Digong wrote on March 26: “Ito po yung bahay na pinagawa ni Tatay Digong sa Marawi, bakit tila hindi binabalita ng ABS-CBN, GMA at TV5 (These are the houses Father Digong had built in Marawi, why does it seem that ABS-CBN, GMA and TV5 are not reporting these?).”
The post carried 13 photos:
- a photo of a transitory shelter from a Jan. 11 press release by inter-agency task force Bangon Marawi
- a family’s photo outside a transitory shelter from another press release by Bangon Marawi on Jan. 16
- a Jan. 19 Radio Mindanao Network photo of a relocation compound
- three screengrabs from an unofficial Marawi rehabilitation video published Dec. 27, 2017 by Facebook page Duterte Speaks Now
- five screengrabs from a December 2018 video by the National Housing Authority (NHA) about updates on Marawi rehabilitation
- two screengrabs of the NHA official Facebook page’s post about the abovementioned December 2018 video.
The untrue post continues to circulate on social media, with over 38,000 shares, 3,200 reactions and more than 600 comments.
All three networks have published stories about Marawi housing projects under President Rodrigo Duterte, with GMA having just aired a report this year about the recently built transitional shelters and ABS-CBN interviewing Bangon Marawi charmain Eduardo del Rosario for updates on the city’s rehabilitation.
Below are a few of the stories produced by the three news organizations:
ABS-CBN
- ABS-CBN YouTube channel, “Del Rosario – We want Marawi residents to return to their homes by 2020 | ANC,” April 29, 2019
- ABS-CBN News YouTube channel, “Bandila: Mahigit 1,000 transitional shelters, planong itayo sa Marawi,” Oct. 20, 2017
- ABS-CBN News YouTube channel, “The World Tonight: Construction of transition houses for Marawi residents begins,” Oct. 20, 2017
GMA
- GMA News YouTube channel, “550 temporary shelter, ipinamahagi na sa ilang naging bakwit dahil sa giyera sa Marawi,” Jan. 17, 2019
- GMA News YouTube channel, “Mahigit 800 apektado ng giyera sa Marawi, nakalipat na sa transitional housing ng gobyerno,” May 22, 2018
- GMA News YouTube channel, “24 Oras: Temporary housing units para sa mga taga-Marawi, sinisumulan nang itayo,” Oct. 21, 2017
TV-5 (now Interaksyon; also News5)
- News5 Facebook page, “HUDCC ON MARAWI REHAB,” Nov. 23, 2018
- News5 Facebook page, “WATCH | Update tungkol sa rehabilitasyon ng Marawi at mga kalapit lugar nito,” Jan. 26, 2018
- Interaksyon.com, “BANGON MARAWI | Duterte to turn over 500 housing units as plans laid out for ‘modern city,’” Dec. 27, 2017
Anak ako ni Digong was created in April 2016.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
