The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it has not issued any directive that residents can claim between P5,000 to P8,000 financial assistance by merely filling out a barangay form and contacting unverified mobile numbers.
In a statement, the DILG said the post circulating is “false and misleading", adding that the mobile numbers listed in the post are not official and are not connected to any legitimate government program.
Further, the DILG pointed out that the “Social Amelioration Program (SAP)’’ is implemented solely by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through official, validated channels.
The DILG explained that it only assists “in local monitoring and no such program is currently active.’’
In advising the public to remain vigilant, the DILG warned the public never to provide personal information or sign documents based on social media posts that are unverified.
“Misinformation such as this creates confusion and opens opportunities for exploitation,’’ the DILG said.
The DILG assured that individuals or groups that deliberately spread fake information or misuse the name of the department for fraudulent purposes will be subject to legal action under the Cybercrime Prevention Act and other applicable laws.
For legitimate concerns, the public may contact the DILG Public Assistance Center at (02) 8876-3454 local 6700.