Not all those who were in the meeting of the Filipino community with President Duterte in Seoul cheered when he did his DOM act on a Filipina married to a Korean on stage last Sunday.
Cil Borlaza, a Filipina studying in South Korea, was in that gathering and this is her post in Facebook:
Borlaza as a volunteer at the venue of the meeting of the Filipino community in South Korea with Pres. Duterte. Photo from Borlaza’s Facebook page.
I think I just had the worst experience of my year yesterday. I don’t usually post politically-related stuff on social media but this was borderline traumatic for me. I need to do something, anything really, about it. There’s no one else to blame in this situation but me. I’ve miscalculated my threshold and I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt.
For anyone who’s reading, I’m currently an expat in South Korea. I’m in my final year of PhD under a Korean Government Scholarship. I was also a DOST scholar in the Philippines. Having said that, it has always been in my heart to give back service to my country in any way I can. Yesterday, I was a student volunteer in an event for the Philippine President’s visit in Seoul. It was my way of engaging into volunteerism for my country, even if I’m not exactly a fan of the current administration.
In his speech, our president used foul words so many times that I’ve lost count. He pulled perverted jokes several times (even used the word “libog”). He made remarks about pretty ladies who performed and are in the crowd as if bragging about his womanizing skills. He even kissed someone in the lips.
This was extremely difficult to watch. But, it was heartbreaking to see my fellow countrymen cheering for it. Every curse, every perverted joke, every ‘papatayin ko talaga sila’remark was received with applause and cheering.
Mga kababayan, this is how far we’ve gone. This is how terrible our judgments have become. I’m utterly disappointed and disgusted, really. It’s painful to be represented by him. I wish Filipinos would have some amount of self-worth. This is not the kind of representation we deserve!
“For those who find this rant distasteful, please feel free to exercise your right to unfollow, unfriend, and/or block me.”
She posted a picture of hers at the event with a heart sign and a note
“Coz I am happy to be of service, but perhaps in another way next time. Hopefully, where I don’t need to listen to his speech,” she added.
She used the hashtag #disgustedbyPRRD
Borlaza’s post lifts our spirit and re-affirms our faith in the Filipino which had been subjected to a lot of stress with Duterte’s disgusting act and how his officials and allies tried to justify it.
The flak over Duterte’s amorous act in Seoul put him on the defensive. And like a dog trapped, Duterte barked like mad.
Pres. Duterte listening to a reporter’s question during a press conference upon his arrival from South Korea at the NAIA. Malacanang photo by King Rodriguez.
In a press conference at the NAIA upon his return from Seoul, this was how he addressed the issue: “We enjoyed it. It was a showbiz and everybody enjoyed it. Asking for malice, I do not do it in public if there is malice. I would pull the woman down somewhere along the empty hall there.”
Asked about the criticisms that it was unbecoming of his position as president, Duterte dismissed them as product of envy and bragged about the election campaign days when he was Davao City mayor: “Eh kasi ayaw ko makipaghalikan sa kanila kasi bad breath sila kaya ganun. Inggit lang ‘yan.(It’s because I don’t want to kiss them because they have bad breath. That’s envy.) Smack.You know, I’ll tell you what, there are people here from Davao.During the campaign in my mayorship days, I kiss every woman there, lips to lips…Hindi lang ‘yan smack, ‘yung ibang babae gusto talaga ng romance.(Not just smack. Other women wanted romance.)”
He snapped at the reporter who dared ask him about the reaction of his companion, Honeylet Avancena. “Hindi ‘yan tanong. Tanong ‘yan ng mga pervert.(That’s not a question. That’s the question of a pervert.) Why do you have to dwell on kissing? Next question.”
