MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is moving to identify the source of a fake government memorandum that circulated online amid heavy rains and flooding brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat, warning that misinformation capable of affecting public safety will not simply be ignored.
Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said authorities are studying the origin of the bogus document, which purported to announce the suspension of in-person government work and classes in several areas.
“Sa ngayon inaaral natin yan,” Castro said during a Palace briefing, adding that those responsible for spreading information that could affect Filipinos would be investigated.
The fake memorandum became particularly dangerous because it circulated at a time when Filipinos were closely monitoring government announcements amid persistent rain, flooding and weather-related disruptions.
FAKE MEMO, REAL GOVERNMENT ORDER
The confusion was compounded by the fact that the government did eventually issue a legitimate order covering alternative work arrangements.
On August 17, the Office of the President released Memorandum Circular No. 127, directing government offices in the National Capital Region and 12 provinces to adopt alternative work or work-from-home arrangements beginning at noon because of heavy rainfall associated with the southwest monsoon.
The areas covered were NCR, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon and Occidental Mindoro.
The legitimate circular also clarified that agencies providing basic and health services, disaster response and other vital services would continue operating.
For schools, alternative learning arrangements were to be implemented in the affected areas unless local chief executives issued different directives. Private-sector work arrangements, meanwhile, were left to management discretion.
That distinction is crucial: the viral document circulating before the official announcement was fake, while the subsequent government memorandum was genuine.
PALACE: ‘BUGBOG NA BUGBOG’ NA SA FAKE NEWS
Castro said the Philippines has been repeatedly hit by false information and urged mainstream media organizations to help prevent unverified claims from gaining traction.
The Palace also stressed the importance of verifying information before publication or sharing, particularly when posts involve government directives, public safety and emergency situations.
ABS-CBN separately reported that the Palace planned to trace the source of the fake habagat-related memorandum, reinforcing the government’s position that the incident was more than a simple social-media rumor because it involved an apparent government document.
The Inquirer reported that the misleading document purported to direct alternative work arrangements in NCR and 12 provinces. After it was debunked, an authentic government circular was subsequently released covering those areas because of the weather situation.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST FAKE-NEWS BATTLE
The government’s latest warning comes amid a broader campaign against disinformation.
Earlier this year, the Presidential Communications Office’s Anti-Fake News Desk investigated and pursued action over false claims involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s health and fabricated information connected to the country’s energy situation.
In April, the PCO said it had detected what it described as a surge of disinformation targeting Marcos’ health and said evidence was being gathered for possible legal action. GMA News also reported that the PCO later sought legal action against three Facebook accounts over alleged fabricated claims about the President’s health.
The Palace has also previously warned that fake information could be particularly harmful during emergencies, when Filipinos depend on official announcements to make decisions involving work, school, travel and personal safety.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The incident highlights a growing problem in the age of instant sharing: a fake government document can look convincing enough to spread before authorities have time to respond.
For Filipinos checking whether classes or government work have been suspended, the safest approach is to verify announcements through official government channels, local government units and established news organizations rather than relying solely on screenshots or forwarded posts.
The Palace has made clear that it wants the public and media to verify information before amplifying it — particularly when false claims can create confusion during an ongoing weather emergency.
And now, the question Malacañang says it wants answered is the one many Filipinos are asking:
Who created the fake memorandum — and how far did it spread before it was exposed?
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