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Whiile not referring to Sia, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian calls for an 'elevated' election discourse, condemning the use of 'vulnerable, poor, and marginalized sectors as the butt of jokes'
CEBU, Philippines – Single mothers deserve respect.
That’s what many Facebook users said after a video of Pasig City congressional candidate and lawyer Ian Sia went viral, with him joking that single mothers may sleep with him once a year.
“Minsan sa isang taon, ang mga solo parent na babae na nireregla pa – Nay, malinaw, nireregla pa – at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon, puwedeng sumiping ho sa akin. ‘Yun hong interesado, magpalista na ho rito sa mesa sa gilid,” Sia said during a caucus of the Team Kaya This slate, headed by mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya, in Barangay Pinagbuhatan on Wednesday, April 2.
(Once a year, women solo parents who still menstruate — Ma’am, let me make it clear, those who still menstruate — and are lonely, once every year, may sleep with me. Those interested may sign up at the table right here on the side.)
“[Walang hiya], ganoon kababa tingin mo sa kababaihan? (You have no shame. Is that how low you think of women?)…. The disrespect to the single moms/single parents is unacceptable!” user Radiel Marcelo reacted.
“As someone raised by a strong and selfless single mom…. I take deep offense at any remarks that belittle or misunderstand the struggles and sacrifices of solo parents,” wrote user Aileen Landingin-Lara.
“Single mothers work twice as hard, love twice as much, and sacrifice beyond measure to provide for their children. They deserve respect, not judgment,” she added.
Sia made the controversial remark on Wednesday — which he said was just a joke — after explaining that, if he wins as Pasig City’s lone district representative, he can’t pass a legislation to provide aid for single mothers because not all local government units can afford it, unlike “wealthy” Pasig.
Amid the controversy, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian called for election discourse to be “elevated to a higher level.”
While Gatchalian did not name Sia in his Facebook post on Thursday, April 3, the Cabinet official zeroed in on the practice of using members of poor and marginalized sectors for easy laughs.
“[U]sing our vulnerable, poor, and marginalized sectors as the butt of jokes is not the way to go. Let’s not underestimate voters. They may laugh, but that doesn’t mean they’ll vote for you,” Gatchalian said.
“Engage them by telling them what you will do for them, rather than making them the punchline of your jokes,” he added.
‘Pasigueños deserve better’
Many Facebook users also questioned Sia’s capacity to serve as a public official following his statement.
“You don’t need to be a lawyer to know misogyny has no place in public service. All the more for those who are. Shame on Atty. Ian Sia,” wrote lawyer-nurse Race del Rosario.
“Pasigueños deserve better. Hindi ang ganitong uri ng tao ang dapat maging lawmaker (This kind of people are not fit to be lawmakers),” Facebook user Dennis Cruz reacted.
“Hindi mo kailangang maging Pasigueño para hindi matakot sa ganitong mga speech. We all want a better government, ‘yung lahat sana maayos ang mamumuno. We don’t want this kind of leaders in the government, lalo ang tingin sa babae ganyan lang kaliit,” said user Shiels PY.
(You don’t need to be a resident of Pasig City to be scared of this kind of speeches. We all want a better government, composed of decent leaders. We don’t want this kind of leaders in the government, especially those who belittle women.)
Other users reminded Sia of the law.
The Safe Spaces Act, or the Bawal Bastos Law, covers and penalizes all forms of gender-based sexual harassment, whether committed in public spaces, in educational and training institutions, in workspaces, or online.
Meanwhile, Commission on Elections Resolution No. 11116 released in February, declared candidates’ discrimination against women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as an election offense.
– Rappler.com
