As sharp as the blade of a sword, the very words that come out of our mouths can be as deadly as a weapon that can slice up a body. Though it may be tiring to hear, the saying that reminds us to think twice before speaking always holds true, whether in normal everyday conversations or in content produced for public consumption.
I am writing this piece based on my position as a mother of a person on the autism spectrum and as a media practitioner. The recent issue concerning a podcast that spawned discriminatory and offensive remarks towards Josh Aquino is not only punishable by existing laws such as slander and/or public ridicule and vilification, but is also a low blow against the special needs community.
First, let me argue from the perspective of a media practitioner who is guided by the Philippine Journalist's Code of Ethics, approved in 1988 by the Philippine Press Institute, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), and the National Press Club (NPC), which reminds us not to "in any manner ridicule, cast aspersions on, or degrade any person by reason of sex, creed, religious belief, political conviction, cultural and ethnic origin." The problem with the prolific nature of social media, which has made way for practically anybody to produce, air, and distribute content over the internet, is the lack of censorship that was applied during the pre-internet media industry. The level of scrutiny before material gets aired, and the level of accountability imposed when a personality makes inappropriate remarks on radio or television, are things that we journalists are passionately aware of and take seriously in the practice of our craft as journalists and broadcasters.
At present, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), under Presidential Decree No. 1986 (enacted in 1985), has limited authority strictly to motion pictures, television programs, and related publicity materials shown in theaters or broadcast on television, and does not cover the regulation of social media content or other types of video platforms available online. In fact, in previous statements, the MTRCB has repeatedly clarified that the internet and social media/streaming platforms (such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, or VOD services like Netflix) are not part of its current legal jurisdiction. It has also noted that prior review of all online curated content is not within its purview and is practically impossible given the volume of uploads.
Although I was not able to watch the whole podcast episode, after one of the hosts made the said demeaning remarks, another host even called out the statements as a "low blow," and many, including myself, are wondering why they still decided to air that portion even when they had already realized and assessed that the statements were, in fact, derogatory in nature. Secondly, while the podcast host has already expressed his public apology, even mentioning that he himself has ADHD, this still does not remove the culpable violations he has committed. While they seemingly took it as an entertaining and funny joke, making fun of someone with special needs and calling him "walang kwenta" and "nakatunganga" is truly appalling and should not be easily forgiven after simply issuing a public apology.
As a mother of a person with autism and an advocate of inclusivity, I urge my fellow parents and other supporters to intensify our call against any type of harassment and ridicule directed at our loved ones with special needs. I would not go as far as wishing for these people to have children with special needs themselves, but all I want is for them to be more understanding and accepting of how different these individuals are compared to those of us who do not have these mental and psychological conditions.
I want to go back to a previous column I wrote in December 2020 in reaction to the discriminatory act of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu, where a child with ASD was allegedly asked to leave the pool area because of his noisy behavior while swimming:
Speaking on behalf of parents with special needs, I say this: no one from us ever wished to have a child with this disorder. It is not even an illness that can be cured over time; it is a lifelong condition that we have to deal with EVERY single day of our lives. And to tell you the truth, our biggest fear is not of dying. It is leaving our child behind with no one to truly understand and care for them without any discrimination and hesitance.
The Autism Society of the Philippines, in its website and FB page wrote:
"This sad event is an opportunity for disability sensitivity training; and a review of the resort’s policies and procedures for compliance to RA 7277, the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability. Beyond the public relations mess that this is (driven by an ill-crafted response), the noble men and women who serve to please their customers at the Plantation Bay Resort And Spa in Cebu can do better. Even the best-intentioned organizations can always use additional knowledge and improvements in areas they are not properly trained in. The Department of Tourism, the National Council on Disability Affairs and the Autism Society Philippines can help facilitate education in "invisible" and often misunderstood disabilities.
For parents who find themselves in this situation, know that the law is on your side. Escalating the matter to top management is the best way to amicably resolve your issues and to teach the organization what accommodations are needed by guests who manifest their disability uniquely. Very often, top management responds with kindness and compassion.
If the issue is not resolved, you may file a civil case in court or with the Commission on Human Rights for violations of the RA 7277, the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability. Please take note of names, places, events, dates, times and screenshots, to complete documentation of the incident."
If Kris Aquino chooses to stay silent on this matter, I simply wish to join the many parents and advocates fighting for our children's right to a decent life. Josh Aquino may be just one of the thousands of individuals on the autism spectrum who happens to be well-known because of his family background. However, the plea for inclusion and acceptance of people with special needs goes beyond social status and economic class, because the least society can do is treat them with dignity, respect them as fellow human beings, and refrain from discriminating against or making fun of them for monetized content.