Fake news alert: Kalinga Governor’s office slams spread of false info saying 2025 budget signed

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Not everything you see online is what it seems. 

An example of this is the fake news posted by anonymous accounts on social media – like Kalinga Page, falsely claiming that the Office of the Provincial Governor of Kalinga has already received over P1.8 billion for the 2025 budget. 

The post, shared by the Kalinga Information Office on Facebook, included an image of a document bearing a fake stamp, making it look like an official receipt of the funds. 

As the post spread, many people were led to believe that the budget was approved and delivered to the Office of the Provincial Governor (OPG-Kalinga). 

In response to the growing confusion, the OPG quickly issued an official statement to clear up the false claims. The statement clarified that the “received” stamp dated February 12, 2025, shown in the fake document is not the official stamp of their office. 

“This is to categorically deny and belie the circulating posts from anonymous Facebook accounts claiming that the Office of the Provincial Governor has already received the approved 2025 Annual Budget dated February 12, 2025. We would like to clarify that the stamp shown in the said posts is not the official stamp of the Office of the Provincial Governor,” the OPG’s statement reads. 

Moreover, the OPG said there has been no formal transmittal or certification from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan confirming the release of the 2025 Annual Budget, as the post claimed, misleading the public. 

With that, iKalingas are being urged by the OPG to not easily believe what they see or read online, especially this election season, where many dummy accounts are spreading lies against political candidates to destroy their reputation. Instead, they are encouraged to verify information first from the concerned offices and/or official channels to avoid being deceived. 

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and refrain from sharing unverified information. For accurate updates and official announcements, please refer only to verified communication channels,” the office wrote. 

As of now, there has been no official confirmation that the 2025 annual budget has been approved or transmitted to the Office of the Provincial Governor of Kalinga.