'Enchanted River' is real, but it's not Pasig River

The Enchanted River of Hinatuan town is Surigao del Sur’s hidden gem.
CC BY 2.0/Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ

MANILA, Philippines — If anyone needed to hear it, the trending “Enchanted River” making rounds on social media is indeed real, but it’s not the Pasig River as implied by a Thursday post which has been shared over a thousand times as of writing.

“Pasig river during this quarantine...Thank you po tatay digong (President Rodrigo Duterte),” a Twitter user posted with a heart emoji, possibly as satire spoofing viral but incomplete observations about Philippine landmarks like the Sierra Madre and Manila Bay alleged to be visibly cleaner due to the Luzon-wide quarantine in effect.

Related: With roads clear, Metro Manila breathes in cleaner air during lockdown

Whether it was a joke or not, netizens have pointed out that the scenic river featured in the video is not in Pasig, but a popular destination in Surigao Del Sur called the “Enchanted River.”

Related: An enchanting visit in Surigao del Sur | 3 tourist-friendly provinces that will teach us about water this summer

Fact-checking organization First Draft includes satire or parody among its seven types of mis- and disinformation due to its "potential to fool" despite meaning no harm. 

Here’s a closer look at the Enchanted River in Mindanao. 

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