“That you are poor with disability — a double vulnerability, you are poor and old and with disability, and you make people’s disability a joke?”
— DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian
Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-Ny1
- EDD K. USMAN | X (Twitter): @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
DAPO Restaurant, Quezon City (SDN) — It does not pay to make the Filipino society’s vulnerable sector politicians’ punchline for jokes.
Besides, there ought to be no jokes about solo mothers, or the poor, the needy, the persons with disabilities (PWDs), and others, who can’t protect and defend themselves from the harsh realities of life. And from insensitive politicians who make people like solo mothers a laughingstock.
Good thing, there’s the Department of Social Work and Service (DWSD) presently headed by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who met members of the news media on Saturday, April 5, at the Saturday News Forum here.
The DSWD chief defended the helpless members of the marginalized sector of the nation, stressing they are a people who have no power do protect themselves from those who look down on them.
With him as guest panelists was Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Romando Artes as they discussed their respective agency’s programs and services to their constituents.
For the DSWD, it is focused on those who are unable to help and defend themselves, the poor & needy, the elderly, the persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and other vulnerable people in the Philippine society.
It was on this topic — the vulnerable people — that Pasig City congressional candidate lawyer Christian “Ian” Sia, a former councilor, entered the conversation at the media forum.
Remember that Sia made what many Filipinos deemed as vulgar and indecent and a lack of respect for the vulnerable people in the country as he targeted solo mothers for his joke during a meeting in Pasig City. He is contesting the seat of incumbent Rep. Romulo Roman for the city’s lone congressional district.
“Minsan sa isang taon, ang mga solo parent na babae na nireregla pa at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon, pwede sumiping ho sa akin. ‘Yun hong interesado, magpalista na po rito sa gilid.”
(Translation: Once in a year, women solo parents in their monthly period and sad, they can have sex with me once a year. Those interested, list your name at the side.)
On the other hand, Gatchalian acknowledged Sia had already addressed the impact of his much-lambasted joke.
“In this particular case, he has apologized. We leave it at that. It’s perfect timing because Election Day is coming, so let the voters of Pasig decide if that apology is enough,” the DSWD chief says.
He cautioned that there’s no under-estimating what voters may decide to do.
Filipinos’ ears and eyeballs feasted on Sia’s joke through a video clip shared online. And just like that, Sia’s life, perhaps, will never be the same. He would be forever linked to a political blunder that many individuals and groups deemed grossly inappropriate.
Speaking in the Filipino language, he lamented why Sia made solo parents his butt of jokes.
“That you are poor with disability — a double vulnerability, you are poor and old and with disability, and you make people’s disability a joke?”
Watch, Secretary Rex Gatchalian: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ABpx8GkAE/
The DSWD chief said he was “in local government service for 21 years. Never underestimate the voters, PWDs are not a punchline.”
Gatchalian assures its constituents DSWD continues to assist amid coming polls
On the other hand, in his apology the Pasig congressional bet of “Team Kaya This” led by mayoralty candidate Sarah Discaya (she is challenging re-electionist Mayor Vico Sotto), pointed out that he often included jokes in his campaign sorties to capture the audience’s attention as he lays out his political platforms.
The poll body has given Sia until Tuesday, April 8, to explain himself.
In an interview over “Kapamilya” TV program last week, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia raised the possibility that Sia’s candidacy might be canceled because of his joke.
Some sectors have also called for his withdrawal from the forthcoming midterm political exercise.
Gatchalian, who was repeatedly asked by reporters at the weekly news forum on the viral video, emphasized that the campaign period is not a competition for the best punchline of jokes, adding, “It is about (candidates) who can deliver the best solutions (for problems affecting Filipinos).”
“There’s no such thing as ‘biro-biro’ (joke only), especially about the vulnerable sector. Joke only has no space in a political campaign,” Gatchalian points out.
The Comelec will conduct the National and Local Elections (NLE) on May 12, 2025.
At the news forum, Gatchalian discussed various programs of his department, issues and concerns, and on improving its services to the Philippines’ vulnerable, or marginalized sector.
He assured DSWD’s constituents that its social welfare programs are continuing even amidst preparations for the forthcoming NLE.
The DSWD chief emphasized that even with the election season in the country, people continue to flock at the agency asking for government assistance. He cited as example the disbursement of around Php4 million to Php5 million for beneficiaries of the Assistance on Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) in 2024.
On the other hand, he pointed out there are at least 4.5 million Filipinos who received assistance from the agency’s Ayuda para sa Kapos sa Kita (AKAP) Program, adding since 2010 there are 12 million beneficiaries provided assistance through the 4Ps, 37,000 board passers, adding 9 out of 10 continued their studies until their senior high school compared to non-4Ps beneficiaries.
Citing the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2025, the 4Ps is focused on Filipinos belonging to the low-income bracket, the DSWD chief said.
“We are improving our 4Ps for the 4.5 million beneficiaries for education and health assistance,” says Gatchalian.
MMDA Chair Artes discussed the coming “Semana Santa” or Holy Week.
He said the agency is now in the thick of preparation, assuring Filipinos the MMDA will deploy more than 2,000 of its personnel as well as the advanced provision for pre-positioned of ambulances to quickly respond to any emergency that may arise.
Artes said the agency will also closely monitor bus stations, piers, and airports for the safe and convenient travel of the public who are expected to go home to their provinces. (/)
_________
The author
EDD, a native of Sub-Saharan Africa Buluan/Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, college at UST, is a Manila-based journalist for over 40 years (33 years with Manila Bulletin), has five Media Awards (1 with University of the Philippines (UP) 2017 Science Journalism Award), covered and traveled over 40 times abroad), has contributed to Rappler, Business Mirror, former Manila-based Foreign Correspondent of Saudi Arabia newspapers Saudi Gazette and Riyadh Daily, and The Peninsula (Qatar newspaper), with 2008 East-West Center (EWC) Journalism Seminar in the United States, 2000 Executive IT Seminar in Seoul, South Korea, with three Silver Awards in Photography, writes Muslim and Current Affairs, Enterprise, Science, Tech, Products Launch, and virtually everything under