Lacson: Blindsided

IT'S too easy to criticize -- looking for someone's mistakes over the right things is quite effortless for most of us that it has become a spiteful habit oftentimes. I know there's nothing wrong in being critical, when we say the right amount of it and whenever it is appropriately needed. Needless to say, we can be critical in a positive way.

However, when one is reproachful without seeing the big picture and all the nitty-gritty details of the subject that makes him or her lash out maliciously and hypocritically. Even if one is doing it to expose the things that need improvement for the objective of helping out, if it is done one-sidedly, then it's no use at all. To be brutally honest, it just makes matters even worse.

I would like to highlight two instances to support the argument I made above. Regarding the alleged erroneous and misconstrued modules used in the distance learning activities for this school year, some parts are indeed wrong and need correction. For that, the Department of Education is not turning its back nor washing its hands for these mishaps particularly the modules which were developed by its teachers and pool of writers. It has even set up its Error Watch to gather all the incorrect portions in the learning materials and modules with the ultimate goal of correcting them.

Last month, a controversial post showing a picture of a mosquito named as "namok" drove the ire and mocking of clueless netizens who did not even know the whole story behind the post. It's easy to be deceived and join in the jeering in social media without even gathering the facts and details that surround the said issue. While we are not privy as to the real intention of the person who took a picture of the said page and posted it online, we should not be too quick to judge that the said page contains an error because we all know that mosquito in the Filipino dialect is "lamok." When a netizen, who is a Waray native clarified that the said module is intended for Waray students, and that mosquito in their vernacular is indeed "namok", people who were too confident to lambast DepEd and its entirety should have melted in their shame and guilt and must have apologized to the agency.

Just over last week and still trending until now, Lea Salonga boldly questioned the module that tagged tattooed people as criminals because of the answer key that points to the option of tattoos as symbolic of criminals in society. Oh well, someone like Lea Salonga has the fame and influence to build up the rage among netizens which can easily be used to once again question the efforts made by the Department of Education.

Well, I for one, give her credit for asking for a copy of the unedited sheet that may help give context to the question and the choices given. After receiving what she asked for via a direct message to her social media account, Lea Salonga issued her apology and cleared the issue. Her post: "For my part in this, allow me to apologize. I just want for our kids to get as good an education as they can get. As for the saboteur, there's a special place in hell for the likes of you."

Well, she's right. There's a special place in hell for the people who seems to be making a living out of plotting malicious posts and proliferating fake news. To all the critics and complainants who do not even bother getting the right facts, I would like to share this post from the beautiful and young Congresswoman Bai Rihan Mangudadatu Sakaluran of Sultan Kudarat. Please be reminded that when we accuse and complain, we should have the right information and complete context.

"I saw various posts on facebook, tiktok, twitter #nasaanangpangulo and all other people complaining na nasaan ang gobyerno, bat wala ginagawa ang gobyerno, walang tulong na dumarating galing gobyerno.

Yun reklamo po ng reklamo please sa mga kababayan natin ieducate po natin ang ating mga sarili.

Una una sa lahat pag may calamity sa lugar ninyo po HINDI PO ANG PANGULO ANG UNANG HAHANAPIN NIYO.

Kaya nga po meron tayong tintawag na LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT nandyan ang Barangay Kapitan, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, PNP, BFP, Municipal or City Councilors, Municipal or City Mayors sila po yun una natin tawagin hindi po ang Pangulo. Sila po yun unang una na mag aaction at nandyan para sa ating bayan.

Pangalawa, sana iappreciate po natin ang hirap at pagod ng ating mga leaders and other government line agencies po. Philippine Government is far from being perfect but everyone is doing their job and best.

At panghuli, instead po mag sige complain tayo at post sa facebook, twitter at tiktok ng mga reklamo sa gobyerno, how about lets pray for the safety of everyone at gumawa tayo ng paraan na lang na makatulong sa ating mga kababayan. Kung ayaw niyo po sa ating Pangulo thats okay po. That is your opinion and should be respected but please this is not the time to keep on politicizing, critizing and pinpointing. Ito po un oras na dapat tayong mga Pilipino ay nagkakaisa at nagtutulungan

God Guide and Bless everyone. Let's put out our Filipino Spirit kahit ano pang bagyo o sakuna ang dumating tayo ay Pilipino na hindi matitinag, hindi susuko at puno pa rin ng pagmamahal at kasiyahan."