A claim that President Duterte has approved P20,000 in assistance to each Social Security System member to help tide them over the COVID-19 crisis is false and a clickbait tactic.
SSS has debunked the claim circulated by spurious websites such as dohnotice.ml and randomnames.club mainly on Facebook. The government agency urged the public to be discerning and guard against “fake news.”
The websites published a video alongside the claim on a page that is a failed copycat of Facebook Watch.
The video stops after a two-second teaser “Usapang SSS” is played, then urges readers to “share to continue watching this video.”
Images of social media icons–Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus— and texts such as “Published Today” and “Uncover Now” adorn the page.
The websites’ Home, About US, Contact Us and Privacy Policy pages are either empty or contain the same information, including a definition of lorem ipsum.
Duterte’s economic team unveiled March 16 a P27.1 billion package to help frontliners fighting the pandemic and provide relief to individuals and sectors affected by the economic slowdown resulting from the crisis.
The package includes mobilizing an existing P1.2 billion in the SSS to cover unemployment benefits for dislocated workers. But it has no provision for P20,000 for every SSSS member.
SSS has more than 34 million members and 2.4 pensioners.
Last year, Rappler debunked a nearly similar claim about SSS: Duterte supposedly signed a law granting members a P50,000 bonus. The latest hoax uses the same image as last year’s.
Randomnames.club’s post about the fake P20,000 bonus has been posted 314 times and generated 11,369 on Facebook. It was shared on the public group SSS(E-1 & Static Report), PhilHealth(MDR), PagIbig(MID no.), POEA(OEC form) created three years ago and which now has 414,266 members.
References
Department of Finance. Gov’t economic team rolls out P27.1 B package vs COVID-19 pandemic. (20, March 16). Retrieved from https://www.dof.gov.ph/govt-economic-team-rolls-out-p27-1-b-package-vs-covid-19-pandemic/
FALSE: Duterte 'signs a law granting SSS members P50,000 bonuses' Retrieved from. (2019, September 12). Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/239710-duterte-signs-law-granting-sss-members-bonuses
P20,000 para sa lahat ng miyembo ng SSS Pangtawid dahil sa Covid-19.Inaprobahan ng pangulo. Retrieved from https://randomnames.club/#trending/45
Philippine Social Security System. (2020, March 18). HUWAG MAGING BIKTIMA NG FAKE NEWS! Ipinaaalam po sa publiko na HINDI TOTOO ang balitang ito na mamimigay ng P20,000 para sa lahat ng miyembro ng SSS bilang pantawid dahil sa Covid-19. Maging mapanuri! Huwag magpaloko. [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/SSSPh/photos/a.147593657867/10158456949782868/?type=3&theater
SSS(E-1 & Static Report), PhilHealth(MDR), PagIbig(MID no.), POEA(OEC form). (2020, March 18). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/groups/107037766679898/permalink/526780871372250