Old photos of the Philippine military responding to typhoons “Yolanda” and “Lando” have been resurrected by a Facebook page to falsely depict ongoing preparations of the Marcos administration and local governments in anticipation of typhoon “Chedeng” (international name: Guchol).
The post uploaded on June 8 by Uniteam BBM-Sara a collage of three pictures with the caption:
Naghanda na agad ang PBBM admin, local agencies, at LGUs sa bagyong Chedeng. Sinisigurado na nila na mabantayan ang mga lugar na peligroso gaya ng mga low lying areas, riverbanks, at coastal municipalities upang maiwasan ang anumang pagkasawi sa paparating na kalamidad (The PBBM administration, local agencies, and LGUs are preparing for typhoon Chedeng. They are making sure that high-risk areas such as low lying areas, riverbanks, and coastal municipalities are being monitored to avoid any casualties for the incoming calamity). #Chedeng PH
It further said:
PBBM Admin, LGUs naghahanda na sa bagyong Chedeng mga food packs, relief supplies, nakastandby na (PBBM Administration, LGUs are preparing for typhoon Chedeng; food packs and relief supplies are on standby)
PBBM is short for President Bongbong Marcos.
News outlets had not reported any such preparations at the time the post was uploaded. Neither had the Presidential Communications Office released any announcement.
A reverse image search using Google revealed that the picture in the upper half of the collage showing military personnel carrying boxes was published in a 2013 South China Morning Post article about the relief supplies the United States and the Philippines were preparing to ship to victims of super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) at a military base in Manila.
The picture at the lower right corner, meanwhile, was published by the Official Gazette in 2015 in a series of updates shared by the Armed Forces on measures it was taking for typhoon Lando (international name: Noppu).
A bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s at 11 p.m. on June 8, the day Uniteam BBM-Sara posted the misleading post, said “CHEDENG is unlikely to bring heavy rainfall over the country in the next 3 to 5 days,” as it will “remain far from the Philippine landmass.”
Created on Dec. 3, 2021 Uniteam BBM-Sara has roughly 740,000 followers. Its post has accumulated 118 reactions, five comments and three shares as of writing. (AB)