Residents in remote areas of Socorro town, Surigao del Norte have gone on panic buying spree following a disinformation of a three-day darkness due to the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.
Edelito Sangco, chairman of the Socorro Empowered Peoples Cooperative, told MindaNews by phone that people residing far from the town center went into panic buying mode after rumors circulated in their neighborhood regarding the apocalyptic solar eclipse.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) earlier said the total solar eclipse would not be visible in the country, as it would occur at night time in the Philippines.
The frenzy in Socorro town over the expected solar eclipse started on Sunday, April 7, amidst escalating gossip, which spread through their communities, leading to the depletion of rice stocks at local sari-sari stores, according to a police report obtained by RPN-DXKS Surigao City.
Sangco became aware of the panic buying spree through reports from store owners, who informed him that residents were purchasing sacks of rice out of fear of prolonged darkness that will be brought by the total solar eclipse.
He took to his Facebook page to appeal to English speakers to help in dispelling the rumors, clarifying that there is no truth to the notion of a three-day darkness.
Sangco shared news clippings from various media outlets citing Pagasa’s report that the eclipse would not be visible in the Philippines but only in Mexico and North America.
However, Socorro Mayor Riza Rafonselle Taruc-Timcang dismissed the reports on panic buying, saying that the situation remained normal in their area.
“We have ample stocks of rice here since the farmers have recently harvested their rice fields,” the mayor conveyed in a text message. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
