FACT CHECK: Video of Peñafrancia Traslacion misrepresented as rally in Naga City 

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

While there was indeed a protest held in Naga City condemning corruption in flood control projects, the video used in the post shows the Traslacion procession during the Peñafrancia Festival

Claim: A video shows a rally in Naga City, with crowds protesting against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and condemning corruption in the government’s flood control projects.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim was posted on September 12 and has already gained over 5,800 reactions and 8,000 shares.

Similar videos also circulated online, bearing the hashtags #floodcontrolprojects and #floodcontrolcontroversy. Several Facebook users linked the supposed protest to the corruption issues in flood control projects hounding the DPWH, with some users saying it was time to hold public officials accountable. 

The facts: While there was indeed a protest held in Naga City on September 13 condemning anomalous flood control projects, the video used in the post shows the Traslacion procession during the Peñafrancia Festival, not a rally. 

The misleading clip was taken from the original video posted by DZRH News Television on September 12. Its caption says, “Kasalukuyang nasa Peñafrancia Avenue ang imahe ni Divino Rostro para sa isinasagawang Traslacion Procession sa Naga City.”

(The image of Divino Rostro is currently on Peñafrancia Avenue for the ongoing Traslacion Procession in Naga City.)

Anti-corruption rallies: The video was posted ahead of planned protests in Metro Manila on September 21 to denounce corruption involving billions of pesos in flood control projects — now the subject of congressional inquiries.

Allegations of anomalous flood control contracts were revealed after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flagged 15 contractors who cornered one of five flood control projects nationwide. The Senate later initiated a flood control investigation on August 19. 

Key politicians and DPWH officials have already been tagged in the flood control scandal, including Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co. 

Peñafrancia Festival: The Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City is an annual celebration of the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, well-known by Bicolanos as “Ina,” the patron saint of Bicolandia. 

The celebration this year officially kicked off on September 12 with the traditional Traslacion procession, during which the images of Ina and El Divino Rostro were transferred from the Peñafrancia Shrine to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. – Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com 

Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a student journalist based in Naga City, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.