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Celebs, netizens react to Senator Tito Sotto's "na-ano lang" remark

4 May, 2017

“Na-ano lang”

During yesterday’s confirmation hearing, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo became the target of an unwelcome remark from Senator Tito Sotto.

Sotto quipped, “Just on the lighter side, Senator Drilon and I were looking at the personal info about you. You have two children – daughters or sons?” Sotto asked, to which she replied that she had two daughters.

“But you’re single?” he adds.

“Ah okay, my life has never been a normal one. I never had a whole mother-father-children kind of thing, except when I was growing up in Bacolod. Remember I graduated from UP in 1970, I did organizing work,” shared Taguiwalo, who added that during Martial Law, she spent most of her life underground, or in prison. “So, well, my story would be different from the stories of those who have gone through corporations, et cetera.”

“In the street language, when you have children and you are single, ang tawag lang ay na-ano lang,” a remark which earned Sotto the ire of numerous celebrities and netizens for his crass and disrespectful remark. Taguiwalo then replied with “Senator Sotto, I teach women’s studies. We respect all kinds of families and that includes solo parents. Thank you.”

Go to the next page to learn what celebrities and netizens have to say.

Celebrities and netizens were quick to defend single parents

Offended by the senator’s remarks towards single parents, celebrities and netizens went online to show their dissatisfaction and to defend single parents.

For much of my growing-up years, my mother was a single mother. I curse anyone and everyone that sees women like her as “less than.” — Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) May 3, 2017

For those that look down upon these beloved ladies, there’s a special place in hell for the likes of you. — Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) May 3, 2017

Comedienne Pokwang, a single mom herself, shares what she thinks of single mothers.

Sa lahat ng single mom sa buong mundo,, mabuhay tayong lahat!!! Yahooo… God bless us all ❤️❤️❤️??????????#PinagPala#moreBlessingstoUs

— marietta subong (@pokwang27) May 3, 2017

Hindi po ako na-ano lang! naging single mom ako kasi wala pong BAYAG!! ang lalaking minahal ko! pero binuhay ko ng marangal mga anak ko! — marietta subong (@pokwang27) May 3, 2017

Celebrity mom Bianca Gonzales also shared her support for solo parents:

Mabuhay ang mga solo parents, iba ang lakas at katatagan ninyo. ??? — Bianca Gonzalez (@iamsuperbianca) May 3, 2017

Other netizens also chimed in on the issue:

Hey @sotto_tito, isn’t your daughter Ciara separated frm her husband and now raising their child as a single mom? “Na-ano lang” din ba siya?

— Anj (@anjpessumal) May 3, 2017

Go to the next page to learn about Senator Sotto’s statement regarding what he said during the hearing.

Sotto apologized for his remarks

Partly due to the backlash that he received online because of his remarks, Sotto has released a statement apologizing for his remarks during the hearing.

However, he still insisted that his comment was a joke. “As I’ve said it was meant as a joke and everybody in the hall, almost everybody laughed. I don’t think it was done disrespectfully,” he claims. He added, “But as I said, just to drive home the point, if they are offended then I apologize.”

When asked about the criticisms that he received online, the senator said: “Some people are overly sensitive or perhaps they didn’t realize it was the CA, therefore anything under the sun, even your socks I can question.”

He adds, “So then perhaps these are just people who are really not my fans so to speak.”

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Sources: rappler.com, news.mb.com.ph

READ: Sotto twits DSWD chief Judy Taguiwalo during confirmation hearing, calls single moms “na-ano lang”

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Jan Alwyn Batara

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