FACT CHECK: Manipulated videos of celebrities, online personalities used in weight loss ad

Claim: Celebrities and online personalities are endorsing FITGUM Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, which claims to be a supplement for weight loss. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post containing the claim has 384 views as of writing. It was posted by a page named “Dok. Willie & Liza Ong Family.”

Shown in the video and seemingly endorsing the product are celebrities Sharon Cuneta, Jessy Mendiola, and Ivana Alawi, as well as online personalities Small Laude, Doc Willie Ong, and his wife, Liza Ong. 

The facts: None of the celebrities and online personalities shown in the video endorse FITGUM. The videos and photos used in the advertisement were manipulated. 

The ad used a clip from Cuneta’s December 2020 video, which was originally posted on her YouTube account. Nowhere in the original video does the actress mention FITGUM. 

A September 2018 video of the Ongs was also manipulated. In the original video, the physician couple talked about affordable healthy food. The clip from 11:16 to 11:55 was cut and trimmed, and an image of FITGUM was superimposed on the items Liza Ong was holding to make it appear that the couple was showcasing the weight loss supplement. Audio clips from different vlogs about his favorite herbal tea, and the Japanese water therapy were also used over the manipulated clip. 

Meanwhile, the April 2023 photo of Alawi and the June 2022 photo of Mendiola were also edited, with the items they were originally holding replaced by FITGUM. 

A July 2023 video of Laude was manipulated too. In the original video, she was promoting a different gummy supplement. 

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Not FDA-registered: Checking the verification portal of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reveals that FITGUM Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies is not included in the list of approved food and drug products.

Old version: The link provided in the comment section of the post shows that FITGUM was previously packaged as Envy Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies. A video promoting the old version was already fact-checked by Rappler in April 2024. (READ: FACT CHECK: Envy Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies not endorsed by Doc Willie Ong) 

Already fact-checked: Rappler has debunked several posts that used manipulated videos and photos of celebrities and well-known personalities to endorse unregistered health products: 

• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong ad for heart ailment cure is AI-manipulated
• FACT CHECK: Ad for apple cider vinegar shampoo is AI-manipulated 
• FACT CHECK: Unregistered anti-itch not endorsed by Doc Liza Ong
• FACT CHECK: Billy Crawford interview used in weight loss ad is AI-edited
• FACT CHECK: Sharon Cuneta, Jessy Mendiola debunk fake weight loss ads

– Ailla Dela Cruz/Rappler.com

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.