FACT CHECK: No P80,000 cash aid for all senior citizens, video is AI-generated

Claim: All Filipino senior citizens will receive a yearly cash aid amounting to P80,000.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Two videos about the supposed cash aid were posted on November 20 on the Facebook page named “KaBene News Network.” The videos appear to be a pseudo-newscast, with the announcer saying, “Tinatawagan ang lahat ng senior citizen, makakatanggap kayo ng 80,000 kada taon. Dapat naka-follow sa amin at mag-register online.”

(Calling all senior citizens, you will receive 80,000 every year. You must follow us and register online.)

The video includes a link for viewers to fill out a form and access the alleged memorandum about the supposed cash aid program. In the comment section, some social media users have posted their names and ages in hopes of being selected for the supposed payout.

Both videos have garnered over 38,000 views, 430 reactions, 220 comments, and 130 shares as of writing.

The facts: No existing law or government program provides annual cash aid of P80,000 for all senior citizens in the Philippines. The videos used in the post are AI-generated. 

A “Veo” watermark is visible in the bottom-right corner of the clips. Google Veo is a text-to-video AI generator, indicating that the footage is not from any legitimate newscast. Additionally, Hive Moderation flagged the video as 93.3% likely to contain deepfake or AI-generated content. 

The links tagged in the posts are also fake, as they redirect to an e-commerce website, as checked by urlscan.io. Providing personal information through these dubious websites could potentially expose users to fraud or phishing risks. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)

At present, the actual government program providing cash aid for seniors is the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, which provides P1,000 per month. This assistance is limited to seniors who are frail, sickly, and have no existing pension from other government sources, private insurance companies, or any stable source of income.

Another legitimate benefit for senior citizens is provided through the expanded Centenarians Act, which grants one-time cash assistance at specific age milestones: P10,000 at ages 80, 85, 90, and 95, and P100,000 upon reaching 100 years old. These are symbolic recognitions, not recurring pensions, and they are not available to all seniors every year.

​Pending approval: A frequent topic in discussions about senior citizen aid is the proposed Universal Social Pension, which aims to provide a monthly stipend to all Filipino seniors regardless of income. The measure has gained traction in Congress but is not yet enacted into law. 

Until it is enacted, seniors continue to rely on existing benefits, including a 20% discount and VAT exemption on medicines, professional fees, and transportation — perks available to all holders of a valid senior citizen ID.

Similar claims: Rappler has fact-checked claims about various cash aid programs that misuse the names and branding of several government agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development:

• FACT CHECK: Post about yearly cash, monthly rice aid for students is fake
• FACT CHECK: Post on P5,000 cash aid for national ID holders is fake
• FACT CHECK: DepEd is not giving P10,000 cash aid
• FACT CHECK: Online DSWD form for education aid is fake
• FACT CHECK: Fake page posts link to supposed DSWD cash aid for typhoon victims 

– Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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