PhilHealth XI says viral video promising P5,000 cash aid to all members is fake

The Davao regional office of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth PRO XI) has denied a claim in a video spreading online that the agency will hand out P5,000 in cash assistance to all its members, according to Mindanao Times.

The video claimed members could get the money even without paying contributions and without a PhilHealth ID or Member Data Record (MDR). In a press release issued Monday, PhilHealth said it made no such announcement and has no program that grants automatic P5,000 cash aid to all members.

The agency also said the November 9 "payout schedule" mentioned in the video is fake. PhilHealth stressed that its benefits come in the form of health insurance coverage and health services under existing policies, not cash payouts to its entire membership.

PhilHealth urged the public to be careful with information found on social media and to verify claims only through its official channels. It advised people not to click suspicious links and not to share personal information, passwords, one-time passwords (OTPs) or bank account details with unofficial accounts or websites.

The agency encouraged the public to report suspicious posts, accounts and websites to the social media platform concerned and to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), so authorities can act against false information and online scams.