Manila: The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) has disowned a twisted quote circulating online that was allegedly issued by Executive Director Maria Criselda Sy.

According to Philippines News Agency, the viral material falsely attributes the line "Nag-aral ako nang mabuti para hindi maging (I studied hard not to become) minimum wage earner" to Sy, accompanied by a misleading caption implying that minimum wage earners are "tamad" (lazy). The NWPC clarified that these words were never uttered by Sy.

The misattribution stemmed from an interaction between Kamanggagawa Party-list Representative Eli San Fernando and Sy during a Committee on Appropriations hearing at the House of Representatives on September 5. When asked if she had ever been a minimum wage earner, Sy responded, "Hindi po, sapagkat ako ay nag-aral nang mabuti. Mahirap lang po kami noon at nagsikap ako para maging (No, because I studied hard. We were poor and I strived to be) competitive," as per the NWPC.

The NWPC emphasized that at no point were minimum wage earners criticized or demeaned. The viral post, they stated, removes the context and inserts entirely fabricated statements.

The NWPC also urged the public to be cautious, advising them not to be easily swayed by what they read or see online and to always verify facts. They encouraged the public to refrain from sharing unverified or altered content and to rely on official NWPC communications for accurate information.