FALSE: Media did not report on increase of employed Filipinos in May 2021

At a glance

• Claim: Mainstream media did not report on the increase in the number of employed Filipinos in May 2021.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: Multiple mainstream media articles reported on the increase of the number of employed Filipinos in May 2021.
• Why we fact-checked this: The claim was found in a post by the Facebook page “Mr. Riyoh Channel” on July 3. As of writing, the post had about 4,000 reactions, 235 comments, and 1,800 shares, and the accompanying video had about 47,000 views.

Complete details

A post by the Facebook page “Mr. Riyoh Channel” on July 3 said, “Sa video na to ilalahad ko po sa inyo ang mga BALITANG WALA sa mga BAYARANG MAINSTREAM MEDIA Dahil kapapg Nalaman ito ng mga kababayan natin Mas LALO NILANG MAMAHALIN ang Mahal na PANGULO at DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION.” 

(In this video I will reveal to you news not found in paid mainstream media. Because if these were found out by our countrymen, they will love the beloved resident and the [President Rodrigo] Duterte administration even more.)

In the accompanying video, at the 1:39 mark, an infographic by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said that according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of employed Filipinos increased by 1.4 million in May.

As of writing, the post had about 4,000 reactions, 235 comments, and 1,800 shares, while the video had about 47,000 views.

This claim is false. Several mainstream media news outlets released articles which covered the increase in the number of employed Filipinos in May, stated the key figures, and cited the PSA.

Some of the news outlets that covered this increase are:

• Rappler (July 1)
• GMA News (July 1)
• Inquirer.net (July 1)
• ABS-CBN News (July 1)
• Manila Bulletin (July 1)
• CNN Philippines (July 1)
• SunStar Cebu (July 1)
• BusinessMirror (July 1)
• Philstar.com (July 2)
• BusinessWorld (July 2)
• UNTV News and Rescue (July 2)

The PSA has a July 1 press release that includes the number of employed Filipinos in May and the previous months in 2021. PSA said, “Total employed persons was posted at 44.72 million in May 2021 or 1.45 million increase in employment from the previous month’s level of 43.27 million.”

Rappler has several fact-checks of claims that mainstream media failed to report on some issue, such as the following:

• FALSE: Media did not report on collapsed footbridge in Zamboanga City
• FALSE: Media did not report progress in Marawi rehabilitation
• FALSE: Media did not report on March 23 COVID-19 case tally
• FALSE: Media did not report on Cebu Cordova Link Expressway

– Percival Bueser/Rappler.com

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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