Fake news caused chaotic cash aid distribution in Bulacan –LGU

The City Government of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on Saturday blamed fake news for the large crowd that gathered outside a cash aid payout site in the locality.

According to Dano Tingcungco’s report on “24 Oras Weekend,” a video taken outside the Pabahay Elementary School in Barangay Muzon showed a crowd waiting for the scheduled distribution of aid.

Juan, the beneficiary who took the video, said he and his family went to the payout site based on a schedule.

According to an advisory issued by the city Public Information Office, families living in Phase 2 and 3 of the barangay were scheduled to receive their aid on Saturday.

However, Juan said the number of people outside the school later increased until a crowd had formed.

“Nagkagulo nga po kasi wala naman pong nagbabantay sa pila, walang nag-a-assist. ‘Yung mga tao din nagmadali na, nagsiksikan na, nagpumilit na rin po. Pati ‘yung mga senior naipit na rin sa gitna,” Juan said.

[It became chaotic because no one was guiding the lines, no one was assisting. The people also tried to rush forward, there was no space, they were forcing it. Even the seniors got stuck in the middle.]

“‘Yung lola ko nakapasok na ho pero naipit din siya nung una. Tapos meron po kaming kasama doon, tapos may nakita kaming mga lola. Talagang naipit na, nababangga na sila,” he added.

[My grandmother was able to enter but she was also stuck earlier. We also had some friends there and we saw other seniors. They were completely trapped and were being pushed around.]

“’Yung iba nahihilo na, nakayuko. Meron pa nga doon, hinimatay na talaga. Bumagsak, inambulansya po,” he said.

[Others were getting dizzy, they were looking down. Someone also fainted and was taken by an ambulance.]

However, the local government said that they tried to arrange things so that there would be less than 500 individuals at the school per hour.

In the 22 validation counters and 12 payout counters in the school, the payout process was expected to last only 5 minutes per beneficiary.

The local government said that the crowd formed because someone announced that families living in Phase 1 who did not receive their aid on Friday could also go to the payout site.

“’Yung naging problema na lang po, meron daw po nag-ikkot sa kanila, ‘yung hindi daw nakakuha ng ayuda sa Phase 1 kahapon ay pumunta dito at makasa ngayon,” Perfecto Tagalog, the executive assistant to the office of the mayor, said.

[The problem was someone went around saying that Phase 1 residents who did not receive their aid on Friday could go today.]

“Which is not from our end. Hindi po kami ang nagsasabi. Meron pong nanggugulo dito sa magiging sistema,” he added.

[This announcement did not come from us. We did not say that. There’s someone who’s making trouble.]

— Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News