PALACE WARNS PUBLIC AGAINST FAKE ALTERNATIVE WORK MEMO CIRCULATING ONLINE

NEWS | The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has urged the public to remain vigilant after a fraudulent document claiming an alternative work arrangement from the Office of the President circulated widely on social media early Monday morning.

The unauthorized post featured a doctored layout resembling an official government advisory, misleading state employees into believing a widespread work-from-home arrangement had been formally ordered due to severe weather conditions. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro quickly clarified that the initial document was entirely fabricated and lacked any official basis. Castro emphasized that the administration is actively tracking the origin of the digital forgery to prevent further public confusion.

"Sa ngayon inaaral natin yan. At ang sabi natin lahat ng mga nagbibigay ng ganitong klaseng impormasyon na maaaring makaapekto sa ating mga kababayan ay hindi palalagpasin."(We are currently studying that. And we say that all those who provide this kind of information that could affect our countrymen will not be ignored.) Castro stated during a press briefing. "Kailangan din namin ang tulong ninyo, lalong-lalo na sa mainstream media dahil kayo ay napakalaking tulong sa ating gobyerno para hindi na kumalat pa ang ganitong klaseng fake news," (We also need your help, especially in the mainstream media because you are a great help to our government so that this kind of fake news does not spread further,)

In a separate development later that morning, Malacañang officially issued a legitimate Memorandum Circular No. 127 at 10:52 AM, authorizing a genuine shift to alternative work setups and class suspensions across several regions starting at 12:00 PM due to continuous heavy rainfall from the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat). Authorities clarified that while a valid directive was eventually implemented upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the early morning viral post was entirely unauthorized and separate from official releases.

The PCO reminded citizens to cross-check all announcements with the verified social media pages of the Presidential Communications Office and the Philippine Information Agency before sharing.