Actress Rita Avila expressed her opinion on Instagram, October 28, why presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s diploma was a big deal to many Filipinos, even agreeing with another candidate, Manila City Mayor, Francisco Moreno Domagoso.
Avila said she “agreed” for once with Moreno that a candidate in the highest government seat does not need an “ivy league” education to become the country’s leader but should be transparent at the very beginning.
“Yes. Tama ka d’yan Mayor Isko. (Nax! Nag-agree din ako sa wakas). Yung pagsisinungaling ang issue na hindi ma-gets ng mga supporters n’ya. Wala talagang kaso kung d siya nakapagtapos. Wala rin sanang kaso kung hindi siya nagmamaang-maangan.”
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In another post, Avila stressed that attaining higher education is not required to become a Philippine president. She even pointed that Marcos not graduating from the prestigious Oxford University was not a problem for her.
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The actress was bothered by Marcos insisting that he received his bachelor’s from Oxford even despite finishing only two semesters. What’s bothersome for Avila was the attempt of Bongbong to revise history through his interview with actress-host Toni Gonzaga.
“Eh kaso nga, nasa dugo nila ang gumawa ng mga kwento. Gusto pang palitan ang kwento ng Martial Law. Sana huwag naman ganun.
“Kung ikaw ba ay ninakawan ng kapitbahay mo ng paulit-ulit at nagsinungaling pa sa yo ng ilang beses ay gugustuhin mo pa siyang maging kapitbahay ulit?” wrote Avila.
She was then attacked by Marcos loyalists.
On consecutive days starting October 29, Avila revealed allegations of Marcos loyalists claiming that she was attacking Bongbong’s educational attainment where she clearly did not.
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In her post on October 30, Avila clarified that she never ridiculed Bongbong’s educational background but rebuked him for lying about his diploma.
“Magbabalita kayo ng mali para magalit sa’kin ang mga mambabasa n’yo? Never naging issue sa akin ang hindi n’ya pag-graduate. For the nth time, ang pagsisinungaling n’ya ang embarrassing.
“Daming hindi nakatapos na mabubuti ang pagkatao, masipag at yumaman sa taglay na talino. Kawawa naman ang mga taong ginagalit nyo dahil sa maling pahayag nyo.
“Ayoko ngang napapasama sila dahil sa pulitika pero tutuksuhin nyo para maging masama sila,” she explained.
On October 26, Oxford University clarified in an e-mail that Marcos never graduated from the university, according to Rappler.
“According to our records, he did not complete his degree, but was awarded a special diploma in Social Studies in 1978,” replied Cathy King, private secretary to the registrar at Oxford University, in an email.
The “special diploma” was insisted by Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ lawyer, that it was equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.
“We stand by the Degree confirmation which was issued by the University of Oxford. It is up to anyone to question or challenge this with the said university if they so please,” he insisted, Saturday, October 23.
Apparently, as per Oxford University, the special diploma cannot be considered tantamount to a bachelor’s.
“There is no recorded link between the BA (Bachelor of Arts) and the Special Diploma, and the special Diploma was not a full graduate Diploma.”
Prior to the controversy of Marcos’ educational background, he had put in his Senate resumé that he had a “Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Political Science, Philosophy and Economics” from Oxford, which he corrected when he found out he only had a special diploma.
