Unverified warning message is circulating online here in Palawan regarding employees of SM City Puerto Princesa who were believed to have contracted COVID-19, however the establishment counteracted the said rumor saying that it is utterly false.
The SM Store immediately released a statement to counteract the said message that there is no proof to prove it and the circulating warning message was not validated by the government agencies. It also asked the public not to believe in it.
“The SM Store as part of The SM Store’s commitment to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone, we have conducted voluntary COVID-19 antibody rapid testing for all employees and agency frontliners in a venue outside our store premises. Contrary to the information circulating online, The SM Store Puerto Princesa has not received any reports from the DOH nor the LGU on any positive cases for COVID-19 related to the above mentioned personnel as of this time. We would like to remind the public that only DOH or LGU can release any official reports on positive or negative COVID-19 cases. We encourage everyone not to engage with any information being circulated from other sources,”
The warning message also included six hotels that are being used as quarantine facilities.
One of those mentioned, Palawan Uno Hotel, reacted to the baseless information. Operations Manager Jayna Ybanez told Palawan Daily that they feel sad reading the message and they are praying that the authorities can look and find the person or people behind the spread of this false information.
“Nakakainis, kawawa naman kami. Sobrang maingat kami and naka PPE pa mga employees namin,” Ybanez said.
Palawan Daily tried to reach out with the rest of the hotels mentioned in the circulating warning message, however, as of the press time, no details were received.