A Facebook page published AI-generated photos in a post implying that an expressway network project spanning Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cordillera, Cagayan and Isabela is underway.
NSCR Watch & Learn’s Nov. 4 post used eight AI-generated images depicting cars driving on bridges located next to mountains and bodies of water with the equally misleading caption:
LOOK: The ISINCCIEXN Ilocos Sur - Ilocos Norte - Cordillera - Cagayan - Isabela Expressway Network
A 500km expressway network that will connect the Ilocos, Cordillera, and Cagayan Valley Regions.
A Visionary project of Prime Ilocos Norte Holdings Inc. thru Ilocos Urban Development Corporation.
Prime Ilocos Norte Holdings Inc.
Hive AI, which employs machine learning models to identify content generated by artificial intelligence, found all but two of eight photos to be 100% likely to be AI-generated. The remaining photos, the second and eighth based on order, were calculated to be 97.5% and 99.9% likely to be AI-generated.
These findings are consistent with the results of Sightengine, which determined all eight photos to be 99% potentially AI-generated.
NSCR Watch & Learn made no mention of the use of AI images in its post.
A reverse image search reveals that the images were earlier posted by @gelortsison on Instagram on March 26, 2023 at 4:58 p.m. Manila time.
The same images were also published on Gelo Sison’s Facebook account at 4:57 p.m. and on Almina Premier Group Inc.’s page at 4:59 p.m. that day.
Sison’s post originally contained 10 images. No disclaimers were made about the use of AI in both posts.
Sison published a similar photo on April 18, 2023, suggesting that AI was used in his previous post regarding the project:
Railway and expressway side by side.
*AI Generated Image Only.
Traditionalists are calling me out for using AI images. Ayan linagay ko na, mga pakialamero at killjoy (Traditionalists are calling me out for using AI images. There, I already mentioned it, you meddlers and killjoys).
Aside from the digitally generated photos, NSCR Watch & Learn’s caption has been misinterpreted by some who assumed that the “visionary” project will be realized soon. A number of comments on the page’s post hoped for it to be completed within President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term.
No statements on such a highway project have been made on the official websites of the Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Isabela provincial governments and of the Department of Interior and Local Government Cordillera Administrative Region.
The project is not listed on the official website of the Department of Public Works and Highway, the government agency responsible for the construction and management of national roads.
The supposed expressway project appears to be Sison’s concept, and not an ongoing, approved project by the government or any other corporation. This was later clarified by Almina Premier Group Inc., whose president and chief executive officer is Sison:
Another AI Rendition of the Ilocos Sur - Ilocos Norte - Cordillera - Cagayan - Isabela Expressway Network.
An Expressway Network that will connect the Ilocos, Cordillera, and Cagayan Valley Regions.
a VISIONARY project of the Almina Premier Group Inc.. originally named as Prime Ilocos Norte Holdings Inc.
Pls take note that this is only a Visionary Project of the Company and has nothing to do with any other entity, whether public or private. This is a concept of our President & CEO, Mr. Gelo Sison.
The Almina Premier Group Inc. is a Securities and Exchange Commission Philippines Registered Company headquartered in Brgy. Putatan, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines
The two developers mentioned appear to be associated with Sison. Almina Premier Group Inc.’s page history shows its name was changed from Prime Ilocos Norte Holdings Inc. last April 9.
Meanwhile, a March 28, 2023 Facebook post describes Ilocos Urban Development Corp. as the company’s “construction and real estate development arm.”
Other Facebook pages, a number of whom are supporters of the Marcos administration, have previously circulated iterations of the post in photo and video formats. The images were shared by pages TUNAY NA Kasaysayan / Kabataang Maka-Marcos, Marcos Nuon at Ngayon - BBM Supporters and Team Marcos - The Universal Movement, among others. It has also been posted on TikTok, X, Threads and YouTube.
As of Nov. 12, NSCR Watch & Learn’s post has garnered over 1,800 reactions, 307 comments and 205 shares. Created in May 2015, the page has 11,000 likes and 14,000 followers.