MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla came under fire on Tuesday for using informal and colloquial language in announcing class suspensions via the official social media account of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The post, written in a humorous tone, included phrases such as “Mga abangers, sarap ng bogchi ko. Sa kabusugan ay nakaidlip nang sandali. Oh, eto na inaabangan ninyo,” which many online users and public figures called inappropriate, especially amid the ongoing flooding caused by the southwest monsoon.
Several netizens criticized the statement for lacking empathy toward those affected by the calamity, with actor Jake Ejercito commenting, “There is a time and place for trying to be funny. This isn’t one of them.” Actress Jessy Mendiola also questioned the post’s tone, asking, “Is this supposed to be funny?”
Vice President Sara Duterte weighed in, reminding public officials to uphold professionalism when issuing announcements through official government channels.
“The person has the freedom of expression, the institution does not,” Duterte said in an interview from The Hague, where she is attending an international event.
“If it came from the DILG official account… they have to be professional.”
Despite the backlash, Remulla defended his approach, saying that using casual language has always been his way of connecting with the public, especially in his home province of Cavite.
“They understood me in Cavite. I hope they understand me, too,” he said in a dzMM radio interview.
“If I have to apologize for hurting their sensibilities, then I do offer it. But I will not change who I am.”
In a separate interview with GMA’s Unang Balita, Remulla explained that his intention was to lighten the mood of official government communication, not to diminish the seriousness of the situation.
“I didn’t curse, belittle, or insult anyone. A little humor never hurt anyone,” he wrote in another Facebook post.
“What I’m doing is simply making reminders lighter so it’s not always negative vibes that people hear.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed support for Remulla, saying what matters most is that critical information reaches the public.
“As long as he gets the message across, that’s what it’s for,” Marcos said during a press briefing in Washington, D.C.
“People criticize me for the way I speak, criticize him for the way he speaks. But that’s just the way he speaks.”
Teachers’ Groups Reject Makeup Classes Amid Flood Disruptions
In response to the recent class suspensions due to floods, the Department of Education (DepEd) is considering holding makeup classes to compensate for lost learning time.
However, teacher organizations were quick to oppose the proposal.
Vladimer Quetua, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), argued that the current academic calendar already includes contingency days for emergencies.
“The school calendar includes buffer days precisely for situations like these,” Quetua said. “Makeup classes are unnecessary at this point.”
Instead, Quetua urged the government to prioritize post-disaster recovery efforts and address the psychological and economic impacts on students and families.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) also rejected the proposal, especially if it involves Saturday sessions.
“DepEd advocates for work-life balance and banned weekend homework,” said TDC chairperson Benjo Basas.
“It’s contradictory to now require weekend makeup classes.”
Both groups emphasized the need for long-term solutions to climate-related disruptions in education, rather than short-term academic fixes.
“We need to address root causes like flooding and climate vulnerability,” Quetua stressed, “not just patchwork adjustments every time disaster strikes.”
