Kapamilya host Vice Ganda is the latest personality who was called out on local Twitter for his TikTok video where he blamed the extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine to Filipinos’ supposed hardheadedness in complying with the guidelines.
The “It’s Showtime” host in his video sang a part of the song “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na” by The Band and changed its lyrics to express his sentiments on the quarantine that was extended from April 12 to April 30.
He replaced the lyrics to:
Tatayo, lalamon, hihiga na naman ako
Iisipin na lang panaganip lahat ng ‘to…
O bakit ba humaba ang quarantine?
E kasi nga, mga Pinoy, makukulit din
‘Pag sinabing ‘wag lumabas, maglalabasan
At pag nagkasakit naman, magsisisihan
Daling sabihin, ‘penge ng ayuda’
Pero sumusunod nga po ba
His video made rounds on the microblogging platform on Tuesday evening where it eventually earned mixed reactions of criticisms and praises.
Others chided Vice for his song and said that ordinary Filipinos shouldn’t be blamed for the extension of the quarantine.
One of the Twitter users who shared the video argued that it was extended because mass testing was only implemented after the original end of the quarantine period.
“Somebody tell Vice Ganda na nag-extend ang quarantine dahil huli ang mass testing at walang concrete plans ang gobyerno to flatten the curve. Hindi kasalanan ng tao,” the online user wrote.
Cabinet secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson Karlos Nograles previously said that the government has extended the quarantine to April 30 to give them more time to increase the country’s testing capacity and test result turnaround in laboratories.
Another Twitter user said that Vice failed to acknowledge the government’s “incompetence” especially during the first months of the pandemic where it initially failed to impose a travel ban to China, the epicenter of the virus, among others.
Reports also showed that stringent measures to contain COVID-19 were only implemented over a month since the country confirmed its first case.
The same Twitter user added that Vice’s remark on Filipinos asking for government’s support during the quarantine period suggests how “privileged” the host is since he is not a daily wage earner who relies on everyday earnings to feed himself.
In May last year, Vice was also tagged as “privileged” by online users for tweet about shopping in Calgary.
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Vice is one of the local celebrities who launched donation initiatives for COVID-19 frontliners.
He donated medical supplies such as masks to hospitals and health workers.
A parody Twitter account said that celebrities’ help should still be credited but they should still be held accountable for their “insensitive” remarks.
“Yeah, very nice of him na nakatutulong siya. But it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be accountable sa insensitive posts niya,” the account’s tweet read.
It added that the comedian should be aware of the “two-way problem” between the citizens and the government as he was raised in a community experiencing the less fortunate’s plight.
Remind ko lang na pwede kang matapobre pero nakiki-donation drive. Para naman hindi kayo exposed sa telseryes. So Vice can be out of touch and kemerut but giving away relief goods on the side.
— AltABSCBN (@AltABSCBN) April 21, 2020
Meanwhile, there were Filipinos who defended Vice and said that he was “clearly pertaining (to) those who violate the law.”
“Vice Ganda was clearly pertaining those who violates the law and not the ‘poor’ people! Y’all so sensitive. Imagine, 130,177 ECQ violators? What if they got infected? The blame will go to the pres. and the gov. again? Vice was simply saying that we should be aware and responsible,” a Twitter user said.
I do respect your opinion. But for me, Vice Ganda was clearly pertaining those who violates the law and not the “poor” people. Imagine, 130,177 ecq violators? What if they got infected? The blame will go to the pres. & the gov. again? Anyways, let’s pray for our fast recovery.
— ℭ𝔞𝔯𝔩 𝔇𝔢𝔫𝔦𝔢𝔩𝔩 🥀 (@supitsmecarl) April 22, 2020
However, not everyone can afford to continuously stay in their homes while the quarantine is in place. Daily wage earners were among the highly affected by the onsite work suspension which left them jobless and unable to provide for themselves and their families.
RELATED: How celebrities and influencers’ plea to ‘stay at home’ during Luzon quarantine shows class divide
Last month, several personalities earned the ire of the local online community for their plea to “stay at home” during the duration of the quarantine as it was seen as a downplay of the working class’ condition.
The government has already rolled out the social amelioration program which seeks to give low-income families P5,000 to P8,000 per household, depending on their region’s minimum wage rate.
It is supposed to support them during quarantine period.
The Department of Social and Welfare Development said the beneficiaries of this program include informal economy workers, farmers, homeless individuals, house helpers, solo parents and those affected by the “no-work-no-pay” policy, among others.
The Philippine News Agency reported that: as of 8 p.m. of April 19, the DSWD reported that at least P73.7 billion were already downloaded to the LGUs (local government units) for distribution of the social amelioration program.
It added that around 4,886,083 beneficiaries already received their subsidy as of the said date.