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Is that so?

Fact-checking Mar and Chiz on their claims about poverty in their respective province.
Fact-checking Mar and Chiz on their claims about poverty in their respective province.

Creative image makers are very much in demand this election campaign.

In the candidates efforts to boost their credentials to the public or to hide unpleasant information about them, they tell stories – some true, some false. There is no dearth of image-specialists that candidates can tap to re-package themselves to what appeals to the voters.

Packaging is the thing. Never mind the truth.

Voting for a candidate is no different from buying a merchandise. You want to get the real deal. Just like when you buy honey, you want honey syrup made by bees. Not a thick syrup that is half sugar.

To help voters see beyond the nice packaging of the candidates, VERA Files is doing a fact check.

We have titled this project, “Is that so?” and this is how it works: We check the candidates’ statements against facts from official data and other sources.

We know that sometimes the problem is with reporting. There have been a number of reports where the story’s headline is not supported by the candidate’s quote. Just what happened to a newspaper’s story that presidential candidate Grace Poe was “open to allowing the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani, if she becomes President.”

A closer reading of the report, however, showed that Poe never mentioned Libingan ng Bayani. All she said was, “President Marcos should be given a proper burial already, wherever that may be. My opinion is based on a law, which still has to be clearly understood, which recognizes the victims of human rights abuses during that (Marcos’) time.”

In VERA Files, “Is that so,” we will make sure that the candidate’s statements we are fact-checking are from official sources (press release, press statement, speech, official Facebook or Twitter account.)

If from a secondary source, we will check it against the transcript, audio or video containing the statement.

In fact-checking, aside from official data, we will also check the candidate’s statements from his or her previous statements. We’ll see if he or she is consistent with his or her stand on issues.

Here is VERA Files first fact-check item:

Poe says PH 5th largest coconut producer
Statement: During the first Comelec-sponsored Pilipinas Debates 2016 on Feb. 21, independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe said, “Kailangan na po ng replanting ng mga niyog. Sapagka’t tayo po ang fifth largest producer ng niyog sa buong mundo, pero hindi natin sila binibigyan ng sapat na suporta (We need to replant coconut trees. We are the fifth largest coconut producer in the world, but we’re not giving them enough support.)”

Poe was responding to a question about her plans for the food security of 2.6 million families who say they are poor.

FACT: Latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization show that the Philippines was the second largest producer of coconut in the world in 2014 (14,696,280 tonnes or metric tons) after Indonesia (19,102,130). The fifth largest producer was Sri Lanka, not the Philippines.

The Philippines was the top coconut producer in the world for the most part of the 1960s and 1970s, according to FAO statistics from 1961 to 2014, but would rank second in most years since 1984.

This was done by UP students Shernielyn Dela Cruz, Mark Kevin Reginio and Potre Leila Menchani Tilendo. They are journalism majors and they fact-checking candidates for their Journalism Ethics [J110)] course taught by VERA Files trustee Yvonne T. Chua.

The second item in VERA Files “Is that so?” is the exchange between Liberal Party Presidential candidate Mar Roxas and Partidong Galing at Puso Vice Presidential bet Francis Escudero on whose home province is worse off.

If there are statements by candidates that you think are false, send them to us and together we will check them against official records. This way we help lessen the lies that pollute our environment.

Published in2016 elections

5 Comments

  1. vic vic

    1 Indonesia 18,300,000 mt 35.8%
    2 Philippines 15,353,200 mt 30.0%
    3 India 11,930,000 mt 23.3%
    4 Brazil 2,890,286 mt 5.66%
    5 Sri Lanka 2,513,000 mt 4.9%

    Google Search yielded this results for the year 2014..very close to the official data published…Senator Poe staff did not take a minute or two to do the Google search..I’d say they are just soo assuming that they public will just believe what their candidate will say.

    Arguments between Escu and Mar of who is poorer, is very useless…they should put forward concrete program to address the Poverty Philippine wide since they are both Running for National Elected Position..they are both childish and have to GROW UP a little bit.

  2. MPRivera MPRivera

    ano ang pagkakaiba ng dalawang ito? sa tagal na pareho sa gobyerno ay napakarami na ang nasilip sa kanilang performance at pagkatao. at ngayong national election ay nasa magkabilang dulo ng lamesa at parehong gumagawa ng mga gimik upang pag-usapan.

    si mar ay puro kasinungalingang pambobola ang sinasabi dahil wala nang pumapansin at si escudero, na dati nang matabil hanggang ngayon ay lalong nagmumukhang kulang sa pansin.

  3. Ana Duran Ana Duran

    #2 I agree with you absolutely..these 2 people are really incompetent and full of themselves..they have trophy wives they thought would be their asset in their campaign but proved to be disaster specially Korina…They both have no accomplishments to speak for…QUEZO is supposed to be tied with BBM but never hear anybody who like him..Mar Roxas flashes L sign which is so apt for him being a LOSER.

  4. MPRivera MPRivera

    politicians are showing immaturity these days because instead of defining their campaign platforms they are trying to destroy each reputation by mudslinging and trading barbs against each other. such is the sign of mar roxas who, most voters preferred to be the next president right after his loss in 2010 but as days passed when he was offered cabinet position by his lying buddy, ngoyngoy he showed such incomptence in handling responsibilities. how much more if elected president?

    instead of utilizing government resources and directing his cabinet in giving the much needed services he would be uttering the following as before? bahala na kayo sa buhay ninyo dahil hindi kasalanan ng gobyerno kung patuloy na dumami ang naghihikahos? ano pakialam ng gobyerno kung isa isa kayong mangamatay nang dilat kung walang makain o maipambili ng gamot sa inyong pagkakasakit?

    kakatakot na muling marinig sa bibig niya ang ganito KAYA mar roxas, pahinog ka na lamang sa kangkungan!

  5. Sa dami ng Senador, present and former, na Bikolano – Honasan, Escudero, Jamby Madrigal, Joker, Trillanes, Roco (RIP) – at kung hindi pa natitimbog yung pork barrel sana Bicol ang pinakamaayos na probinsiya sa Pinas.

    Di ko na nakikita dito si Reyna Elena, ang kababayan ni Chiz sa Sorsogon. Naaalala ko yung kalsada nilang madamo pa rin na binansagan niyang Talahib Expressway.

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