We have come across an audio clip that has been shared via personal messages and social media, in which a male speaker warns the public to stock up on essential supplies as the government is considering placing the country under a "total lockdown."

This is a false and baseless statement.

We reiterate our appeal to the public to dismiss these unfounded and malicious rumors and to refrain from sharing these with our family and friends. As I said in our press briefing yesterday, our country is dealing with a real threat that understandably concerns our people, and spreading these unverified rumors contributes to unnecessary anxiety and needless panic. Hindi po ito nakakatulong.

Let me also reiterate that the Department of Agriculture has given assurances that our inventory for basic food commodities, particularly rice, indicates that we have more than enough supplies to last for more than the next three months, enough until the next harvest season in April. According to the Department of Agriculture, the same also holds true for lowland and highland vegetables, which is at 85 percent and 107 percent sufficiency level, respectively.

While we encourage the public to keep informed about the latest developments in our battle against COVID, we urge everyone to obtain their news and information from credible sources, dismiss disinformation, and contribute positively in our efforts to stop the spread of COVID by observing minimum public health standards and by getting vaccinated in order to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.

SEC. KARLO NOGRALES

Manila, 8 January 2022