FACT CHECK: UPLIFT cash aid is for eligible beneficiaries, not all national ID holders

Eligible beneficiaries of the UPLIFT program are identified based on government databases. Having a national ID does not make one automatically eligible to receive the cash aid. Claim: All national ID holders will receive P2,000 cash aid under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) assistance program. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made on August 9 by Facebook page National Daily News Alert, which has a following of 204,000. As of writing, the alleged video announcement has garnered more than 12,000 reactions, 4,000 comments, and 4,300 shares. The video’s host, who appears to be a uniformed staff member for the UPLIFT program, is shown saying, “Lahat ng may National ID ay may makukuha na P2,000 UPLIFT program. Kahit PVC o temporary ID lang.” (Everyone with a national ID — even if it’s just a PVC card or temporary ID — will receive P2,000 from the UPLIFT program.) The host also encouraged social media users to accomplish the registration form linked in the post’s caption and comment section. “Ang registration form ay makikita dito sa post namin at comment section. Mag-follow dito sa page namin at i-share mo ang balitang ito para matawagan ka namin agad para sa payout mo,” he added. (The registration form can be found in this post and comment section. Follow our page and share this news so we can call you regarding your payout.) Social media users asked for the registration steps and disclosed that they have the required ID. Meanwhile, others pointed out inconsistencies and cast doubt on the legitimacy of the post. The facts: Contrary to the claim, having a national ID does not make one automatically eligible to receive cash aid under the UPLIFT program. Implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the UPLIFT program is intended to protect vulnerable sectors from falling further into poverty due to the effects of the energy emergency caused by the Middle East conflict. DSWD explained that eligible beneficiaries under the program are divided into three clusters: Group 1 – 3.5 million beneficiaries from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Walang Gutom Program Group 2 – 2.5 million poor and near-poor households in the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) database managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) who are not enrolled in 4Ps or the Walang Gutom Program Group 3 – 1.5 million low-income workers and their families who are eligible Social Security System (SSS) members Households under Group 1 will receive a one-time subsidy worth P2,000. Meanwhile, households under Groups 2 and 3 will receive P2,000 per month from July to December 2026. The social welfare department also disclosed that there is no need to register for the program. Eligible beneficiaries are identified using government databases, according to the agency. The DSWD cautioned users online to be vigilant with scammers claiming to be associated with the program and spreading malicious unverified links. Meanwhile, the PSA has previously reiterated that having a national ID does not automatically make an individual eligible to receive any cash benefits from the government, saying that eligibility remains subject to the specific rules of each agency. AI-generated: The video posted is AI-generated. HiveDetect flagged the video and audio with at least a 98% likelihood of being AI-generated. It also scored 97% with Undetectable AI. The links attached to the caption and comment section are fake. It leads to a registration form on a blog site, not an official government website. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing) Previous fact checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar false claims using AI-generated videos to pose as public service announcements: FACT CHECK: No free electricity, subsidies for national ID, vaccine card holders FACT CHECK: No ban on cellphone use starting April 15; video is AI-generated FACT CHECK: No announcement of energy lockdown; video is AI-generated FACT CHECK: Video of rice price hike amounting to P300 per kilo is AI-generated FACT CHECK: Fuel discount cards sold online are fake – Lourence Angelo Marcellana/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. How does this make you feel? Loading