John Arcilla defended Marian Rivera from netizens who criticized her English speaking skills in a Facebook comment on Thursday, December 9.
On December 3, the Kapuso actress confirmed that she would be part of the judging panel for the Miss Universe 2021 held at Eilat, Israel, on December 12. Critics then questioned her qualifications to judge the international beauty pageant and mocked her English skills.
Arcilla commented that their fluency in the English language does not measure a person’s intelligence.
Arcilla wrote, “Lahat ng Amerikano ay magaling mag ingles kasi language nila iyon PERO HINDI SILA LAHAT MATALINO. Ang Japan ay napakaliit na bansa kumpara sa Amerika hindi naman sila INGLISERO PERO DAHIL SA TALINO NILA KILALA SILA, HINAHANGAAN AT ISA SA PINAKA MAYAMANG BANSA SA BUONG MUNDO. Wala sa Ingles ang talino ng tao.”
The actor also cheered up the actress following the criticisms she gained.
He added, “Go Yan2 Rivera raise the Filipino flag! Labyu! kung pwede nga TAGALUGIN mo ang question mo, nganga sila, bahala sila mag interpret! PUNYETA! Joooke! Pampasaya lang. Labyu Yan! Wag niyo ganyanin si Amihan susunugin ko kayo. Pashnea! Biro lang! Pampasaya lang. Labyu Yan! SERYOSO. Itaas mo ang bandila natin sa buong mundo Yan! MABUHAY KA! Saludo sayo!”
https://twitter.com/itzme_ako/status/1468905138341519361?s=20
Arcilla and Rivera had worked together in the 2016 fantasy series, Encantadia.
Rivera previously admitted that English is not her primary language but, the actress is unbothered because she knows that she is true to her core.
“Aaminin ko, hindi naman English ang first language ko kundi Filipino. At kinuha nila ako dahil sa aking body of work bilang isang Filipina. Basta ang masasabi ko lang, at kilala niyo naman ako na hindi ako mapagpanggap. I-eexpress ko ang sarili ko sa naaayon sa nararamdaman ko,” Rivera said.
Aside from Arcilla, her fellow celebrities like Sugar Mercado, Kakai Bautista, and Donita Nose also showed support for her as one of the judges of Miss Universe 2021.
