FACT-CHECK: Bill filed by Sen. Hontiveros does not seek to abolish Malasakit Centers

Jan 19, 2026 | Fact Checked by PressOnePH

CLAIM: Senate Bill No. 1509 filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros aims to abolish Malasakit Centers.
 
RATING: FALSE

 

A YouTube video falsely claimed that Senate Bill No. 1509, filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, seeks to abolish Malasakit Centers nationwide.

Flagged content: YouTube channel “Ako si Kabibig” uploaded the video, with a thumbnail showing pictures of Hontiveros and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. 

  • The video contained clips spliced from the official livestream of the Senate’s Dec. 16 session, where Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri brought up a previous motion to deliberate on Senate Bill No. 1509 or the Philippine Geriatric Center Bill.
  • The text on the thumbnail read: “MALASAKIT CENTERS TATANGGALIN NA? RISA HONTIVEROS ALLERGIC SA MGA MALASAKIT CENTER? (sic)” (Malasakit Centers will be removed? Is Risa Hontiveros allergic to Malasakit Center?).
  • It also included a caption that said: “MALASAKIT CENTER IPATATANGGAL NI RISA HONTIVEROS? SEN BONG GO NAIYAK! (sic)” (Malasakit Center will be removed by Risa Hontiveros? Sen. Bong Go cried!).

Our debunk: Confusion arose during Go’s interpellation, where he argued that Hontiveros’ bill overlapped with the mandate of the Malasakit Centers to provide medical assistance.

  • Hontiveros said her measure focuses on establishing the Philippine Geriatric Center and does not seek to abolish Malasakit centers.

Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the video has garnered 6,293 views, 141 comments, and 249 likes, suggesting it has gained some traction.

Spot the fake: Political disinformation fuels polarization, which can affect upcoming elections. 

  • These narratives make it difficult for voters to distinguish between genuine policy disagreements and fabricated attacks designed to erode public trust. Dhayshel Tinoy


IFCN Signatory Badge

PressOne.PH is a verified signatory of the Code of Principles of the International Fact -Checking Network (IFCN) at Poynter. The code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network is a series of commitments organizations abide by to promote excellence in fact-checking. We believe nonpartisan and transparent fact-checking can be a powerful instrument of accountability journalism..

PressOne.PH believes that fact-checking is essential to combating misinformation and disinformation, and in informing and educating citizens and voters. Read more of PressOne.PH’s Fact-Checking Policy by clicking here.

The public is welcome to send feedback or requests for fact-checks at factcheck@pressone.ph.

If you believe PressOne.PH is violating the Code of Principles of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), you may submit a complaint directly to the IFCN website: https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/complaints-policy

<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1535372364357523" data-ad-slot="8956430836" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});