DSWD denies social media posts on Christmas bonus for 4Ps members

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has warned the public against misleading Facebook posts about a supposed Christmas bonus payout for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“Ang DSWD po ay may nakuhang mga reports tungkol sa mga naglalabasan na social media posts na may ipapamahagi raw na Christmas bonus sa mga benepisyaryo ng 4Ps. Ito po ay hindi totoo at maaaring isang mekanismo ng mga online scammers para makuha ang mga pribadong impormasyon ng ating mga beneficiaries,” said Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao in a statement.

(The DSWD has received reports of social media posts announcing a Christmas bonus for 4Ps beneficiaries. This is not true and might be a mechanism of online scammers to get the private information of our beneficiaries.)

She warned 4Ps beneficiaries not to repost the fake social media posts and to be careful in clicking links.

The DSWD’s advisory is in line with its “Tamang Tulong sa Tamang Impormasyon” (3TI) campaign which seeks to protect the public from misinformation or disinformation about its programs and services.

“Nais po naming ipaalala na huwag ninyo pong bibigay ang inyong mga pribadong impormasyon sa mga ganitong klaseng social media post. Lahat po ng mga impormasyon na manggagaling sa DSWD ay magmumula lamang sa inyong mga municipal at city links, at pati na rin sa official social media page ng 4Ps at ng DSWD,” Dumlao said.

(We wish to remind the public not to give away their private information through these social media posts. All information from the DSWD will only come from your municipal and city links and the official social media page of the 4Ps and the DSWD.)

Dumlao, who is also the DSWD’s Data Protection Officer, said the DSWD will never post a beneficiary’s details in compliance with Republic Act 10173 or the 2012 Data Privacy Act.

“Hinihimok namin ang lahat na maging mapagmatyag laban sa anumang maling impormasyon at huwag pong basta-basta magbibigay ng inyong mga pribadong impormasyon sa social media,” she added.

(We urge everyone to be on the lookout for any false information and not to share your private information on social media.)

“Kapag may nakita po kayong mga posts, announcements o balita ukol sa DSWD na hindi galing sa mga official sources ng Departamento, maaari lamang pong ipagbigay alam agad sa amin or para sa mga 4Ps beneficiaries, sa inyong mga City o Municipal Links. Magtulungan po tayo upang matigil natin ang mga fake news na nagdudulot ng mga kalituhan,” Dumlao said.

(If you come across any posts, announcements, or news about the DSWD that did not come from the department’s official sources, you may report it to us. Or in the case of 4Ps beneficiaries, you may report it through your city or municipal links. Let us work together in stopping fake news that only cause confusion.)

Any suspicious activities about the DSWD’s programs and services may be reported through the Integrated Grievance Redress Management System (IGRMS) at https://i-grs.dswd.gov.ph./ or through the official 4Ps Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DSWDPantawidPamilya. — JMA, GMA Integrated News