The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Saturday warned the public against a manipulated image circulating on Facebook that falsely depicts one of its L-shaped flood barriers surrounded by piles of garbage.

In an advisory, the MMDA said the viral image was not authentic and showed signs of having been generated or altered using artificial intelligence or other digital editing tools.

According to the MMDA, the original photograph was taken from a social media post but was later cropped and digitally altered.

The edited version included piles of garbage that were not present in the original image, creating what the agency described as a misleading portrayal of its flood control infrastructure.

The MMDA urged social media users to exercise caution and verify information through official government channels and credible news organizations before sharing online content.