The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) appealed to the public and media last Tuesday to verify reports before sharing on social media to avoid sowing paranoia during this crisis.
There have been reports circulating on social media about a group of stranded and starving construction workers inside the UPD campus, alleging that they have resorted to eating stray animals and fruit from the trees on campus.
The UPD’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development (OVPCD) said it has spoke directly with the workers and discovered that they were not starving.
The stranded workers have been provided with P4,000 on March 17 and again with P2,000 on April 14 by their employers, OVPCD learned.
They also have food supply consisting of three 25-kilogram sacks of rice and canned goods given by the All UP Workers Union and other organizations inside the campus, it said.
“According to one of the workers, they were shocked when the news went viral, because those photos were taken by a group of people who went to their site to distribute relief goods, but neither interviewed them nor asked about their situation,” the OVCPD pointed out.
“In this time of uncertainty caused by the pandemic, there should be no room for paranoia and fake news. Media agencies should practice responsible journalism and citizens should verify news before sharing on social media,” it said. (Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)