Misinformation about a local cash aid program has prompted the municipal government of Bayambang, Pangasinan to issue a public clarification, denying that it is distributing P10,000 to families of overseas Filipino workers affected by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The denial comes as similar aid efforts by other local governments have drawn wide attention online. The City of Malolos in Bulacan recently distributed P10,000 each to 100 OFW families whose relatives are stranded abroad and unable to send remittances — a program funded through the city’s Extraordinary Fund. That story appears to have contributed to confusion over which local governments are running similar programs.
Bayambang’s LGU said in an official notice that no such program exists under its administration and that reports circulating on social media are false.
Despite the denial, the municipal government assured constituents that it is not stepping away from the issue. It said it is coordinating with OWWA and the DMW on repatriation assistance and rescue operations for Bayambang residents still in the conflict zone — channels through which distressed OFWs can access the national government’s AKSYON Fund, which has been doubled to P2 billion for 2026 to cover financial, medical, legal, and repatriation aid.
The LGU urged the public to verify information before sharing it, warning that unverified posts risk misleading families who are already under financial pressure from the sudden loss of remittances.
