Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla is facing online backlash after injecting humor into his official announcement on class and government work suspension, with personalities like Jake Ejercito and Jessy Mendiola calling out the post as inappropriate and tone-deaf amid ongoing rains and flooding in parts of the country.
In a Facebook post published on July 22 through the official DILG Philippines page, Remulla opened his update with a lighthearted message:
“Mga Abangers, sarap ng bogchi ko. Sa kabusugan ay naka-idlip nang sandali. Oh eto na ang inaabangan ninyo!”
The post then proceeded to announce that government work and classes were suspended on Wednesday, July 23, due to the effects of the low pressure area (LPA) and southwest monsoon (habagat). For private employees, Remulla said: “Para sa mga immortal na namamasukan, bahala na mga boss niyo. Sila ang nakakaalam ng kinakailangan ng hanapbuhay.”
However, what Remulla may have intended as playful quickly drew criticism from the public and several celebrities.
Actor Jake Ejercito, in a pointed response posted on social media, criticized the tone of the announcement: “There’s a time and place for trying to be funny — this isn’t one of them,” he wrote, sharing a screenshot of the post.
Ejercito’s remark was widely agreed upon by netizens, many of whom noted that the attempt at humor was misplaced, especially during times of flooding and uncertainty.
Actress Jessy Mendiola also questioned the post with a short but direct reaction on Facebook “Is this supposed to be funny?” paired with a broken heart emoji.
The comment reflected the sentiments of many online who viewed the message as lacking empathy.
Several netizens slammed Remulla’s post as unprofessional and insensitive, pointing out that government communication, especially during calamities, should be clear, serious, and compassionate.
In response to the backlash, Remulla stood by his style, saying he has long used a similar tone during his time as Cavite governor, and that he believes the public will eventually “get” his way of communication.
“He [Jake Ejercito] is entitled to his opinion,” he told ABS-CBN News. “Sanay na ang tao sa akin with the way I post in Cavite. I think the country will get into it eventually.”
Remulla emphasized that, despite the backlash, the most important thing is that the public was informed.
“Point taken na galit sila sa akin, pero point din sa akin na nalaman ng public kung ano ang dapat nilang malaman.”
He added that while he welcomes criticism, he remains focused on doing his job, and urged everyone to remain safe with more rains expected in the coming days.
