Officials in Barangay Pinyahan in Quezon City clarified the distribution of relief goods to fire victims Wednesday following social media criticism, citing that the assistance was a personal donation from Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.

Village chief Ric Villaflor said the grocery packs were provided through Go’s personal capacity rather than government funds. The statement aimed to address online backlash regarding the packaging and nature of the aid.

“The help came from Senator Go’s personal means, a testament to his genuine concern for the barangay and its residents,” the village leadership said in a statement.

The clarification follows reports that retail chain Puregold issued an apology regarding the delivery of the items. Sources told DAILY TRIBUNE that the retailer reached out after images of the grocery packs circulated on social media, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.

Local officials stressed that the donation consisted strictly of grocery items. They moved to dispel online rumors suggesting that financial assistance was supposed to be included in the distribution.

“We hope the public understands that it is not the obligation of a senator to provide relief packs, especially not to personally oversee how these are packaged,” the barangay statement read.

Village leaders urged the public to cease “unfair judgment and malicious posts,” arguing that such comments undermine the Filipino spirit of bayanihan, or communal unity.

The barangay maintained that the primary objective was to provide immediate relief to families displaced by the recent fire and called for “unity and gratitude” during the recovery process.