The Filipino people is used to seeing Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque every day since he returned to his post and replaced his replacement Salvador Panelo on April 13 to give updates on government COVID-19 pandemic response.

He has had his recent fair share of government boo-boos, most noted were his statements that the government has no mass testing program and that the country’s testing capacity now is at 32,100 that the Department of Health (DOH) would correct in the same day to be only ay 8,500 to 9,500 but actual tests done per day is lower.

So it was a surprise, maybe unwelcome to some, to see him guest to GMA 7 “Tutok to Win sa Wowowin” game show by host Willie Revillame on May 27.

Aside from those who questioned Roque’s guesting and statements, most other comments on social media platforms of Wowowin or mentions of Wowowin are those who are trying to join and win a prize in the game show, leaving on their posts their full contact information.

The show that guested Roque lasted for an hour and 46 minutes.

 

Roque makes a joke out of ABS-CBN shutdown

Roque’s swaying and his off-bet, off-key singing of ‘Hinahanap-hanap kita’ [Longing for you] by Rivermaya (or maybe his own version, made it his own, yes? no?) instead of doing his usual duties at this time came after his interview.

 

Known before as a human rights lawyer, a lawyer for public interest or issues of sovereignty and a law professor, Roque joked to the host about the government shutdown of the biggest broadcast network in the country, and also GMA 7’s stiffest competition.

“Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, ikaw lang ang napapanood sa buong bansa…Alam mo, duda ko, kaya ‘yung isa nawalan ng prangkisa, ikaw may kagagawan niyan e. Oh, aminin, aminin,” Roque told the host.

[For the first time, you are the only one being watched in the country. You know, I am suspicious, maybe the other one lost its franchise because of you. Admit it, admit it.]

Roque’s joke however did not humor the host, who was known to have had a falling out with ABS-CBN in the past and chose to part ways with them. Revillame defended ABS-CBN instead.

“Malaki din po ang utang na loob ko sa istasyon na yan. Do’n ako nagsimula, do’n ako nakilala, nasa puso ko pa rin ‘yan. Kapamilya, Kapatid, Kapuso, bawat Pilipino. Kaya Sec, wag mo akong idamay. Baka ma-bash po ako. Nanahimik po ako,” Willie said.

[I have a huge debt of gratitude to that station. I started there, I became known there, they’re still in my heart. Kapamilya, Kapatid, Kapuso, all Filipinos. So Sec, don’t drag me in that. I could be bashed. I keep to my own business.]

Roque replied with, “Pero anyway, nag-iisa na lang kayo [you are the only one left]” and laughed his heart out.

Later in the interview, in response to Revillame’s queries about how broadcast media will operate, Roque said during GCQ that media can operate 100%. But the same can’t be said for ABS-CBN, no?

 

Roque’s other statements on the show

Before the interview started, Roque joked as he sat on the chair, “Pwede ba doon ako pumunta, andoon kasi ‘yung mga dancers eh?”

[Can I go there instead, the dancers are there?]

Revillame kept on saying this is ‘light moment with the official’ and Roque had his own take on this.

“Medyo mahirap ang trabaho laluna sa panahon ng COVID, kasi sinabi ko siguro kailangan magpunta rin ako dito dahil kinakailangan naman eh mabigyan ng konting kaligayahan yung  tao. ‘Pag nakikita nila ako sa telebisyon, puro problema sa COVID so ngayon naman iba naman.”

[Work is difficult especially during the time of COVID, that’s why I said I should go to this show because we need to give joy to the people. When they see me, all they hear are problems on COVID, so now this is different.]

It was from there he joked about Revillame gaining from ABS-CBN going off air.

Many who disliked the idea of Roque guesting or making a joke out of government shutdown of ABS-CBN, also a press freedom issue, might not have stuck around to hear other statements of Roque during the show.

The interview was for Roque to explain “ano ba ang mangyayari pagkatapos ng buwan ng Mayo” [what will happen after May]. Here are some of his other statements:

  1. “Ramdam naman po ng pangulo ang hirap ninyo. At dahil ramdam niya, ginagawa niya lahat. Ginagamit niya ‘yung kaban ng bayan para kahit papaano maibsan ang hirap ang dulot ng COVID-19. Ang presidente po nung pumutok nga ito 67 days siyang nanatili sa kanyang lungga, doon sa Malacañang dahil sabi niya kinakailangang makibaka, makisama doon sa buong Pilipinas na talagang nakakulong din. So bago po siya umuwi ng Davao sinigurado niya 67 days hindi siya umalis ng Bahay Pangarap kasi sarado ‘yung Malacañang mismo.”

President Rodrigo Duterte was actually prevented also to fly to Davao because flight from Manila were banned by Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, his daughter. Duterte left Manila even if MECQ was still imposed over Metro Manila and flew to Davao once a lower quarantine.

  1. “Naku, dalawang apo ang nag-birthday, siya nag-iisa po siya sa Bahay Pangarap. Kasi napastrikto ng PSG, bawal lumapit sa kanya. Dahil pinag-iingatan, senior citizen, pinaka-vulnerable iyan. Pero ganyan po mamuno ang ating presidente. Hindi ibig sabihin presidente siya, hindi niya mararanasan ang dinaanan ng ating mga kababayan. Kung paano po kayo naghirap sa quarantine na ito, kasama niyo po maghirap ang ating presidente.”
  2. Asked about “Papaano ‘pag walang solusyon itong COVID-19, huwag naman, paano kung walang makuhang bakuna?”, Roque replied, “Well, alam ko hindi iyan papayagan ng Panginoon, kasi walang katapusan itong problema na ito kung wala talagang bakuna o wala talagang gamot. Ang presidente nga eh kung makakuha kayo o makadevelop kayo ng bakuna, P50 million ibibigay. Baka doblehin pa nga, P100 million, talo ang pinamimigay mo kay presidente. Kaya siguro magkaroon na ng programa ang presidente, come up with a COVID vaccine.”
  1. Replying to Revillame’s quip on the president does not give away jackets like he is known to do in his game show, Roque said, “Wala pero, buhay ang ibibigay ng presidente ‘pag nagkaroon ng vaccine sa COVID.”
  2. With that, Revillame lauded Roque as ‘magaling sumagot’ [answers well], to which Roque addressed Duterte, “Pwede bang raise Mr. President? Wala pa po akong sweldo, nadedelay.”
  3. Asked to explain ECQ, MECQ, GCQ, Roque explained, “Nagsimula tayo sa ECQ, ang ECQ bawal talaga lumabas, pwede ka lang lumabas, may dalawang myembro ng pamilya para ikaw ay bumili ng makakain.”

Roque got these wrong: we started with community quarantine in Metro Manila on March 15 and ECQ was imposed over the whole of Luzon on March 17. Only one person per household is authorized was issued a quarantine pass and allowed to leave their homes to buy foods and other essentials.

  1. “Gustong-gusto ang ECQ ng mga misis. Under house arrest ang mga mister… Pati mga tanod naninita, kakampi nila,” joked Roque.

Repeating this quip a few times since he came on board, Roque glosses over the fact that the two months and a half lockdown caused at least 5 million workers to be displaced, according to Department of Labor and Employment. Senator Cynthia Villar cited study that identified more than seven million will be displaced.

  1. How about massages, Revillame asked. Roque replied in jest, “alam ko naman na kunwair nagpapamasahe ka pero bawal na bawal, dahil alam natin kung anong nangyayari…ako theoretical lamang ang alam ko diyan.” Revillame replied he gets fat, old or traditional massage (hilot) masseuse so he will not be tempted, to which Roque replied “wala ka palang pinipili.”

Massage is a known form of relaxation and muscle therapy and a legitimate form of trade, a training that has been offered by many vocational schools and only one of the few trades that legally blind persons can engage in. Some massages who offer “extra service” are illegal or some luxury health spas who offer the same as they are deemed as prostitution and is covered by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

  1. “Dito sa buwan ng Mayo, may nakalaan na pondo na binigay ang Kongreso, so kaya pa natin iyan. Pero kaya tayo mapipilitan magbukas kahit papaano kasi hindi nga natin kakayanin magbigay ng ayuda poreber. Iyan ang katotohanan,” Roque said about the status of the government financial aid to those affected by the lockdown.

DOH has been talking about “flattening the curve” to the pandemic vis-à-vis the quarantine or lockdown government needs to impose. Roque himself has been talking about government decisions on the lockdown and other actions were “based on science.” So, the lifting of the lockdown is about no more aid to give people?

One of the winners of P 10,000 from the show is a woman who is from Payatas, has four children, a husband who is a construction worker who Roque and Revillame asked if she has received the cash aid from the government. She has not. Roque assured her of the second tranche of the cash aid that will add five million more families to the 18 million households included in the Social Amelioration Program.

  1. Roque going back to why he is on the show: “Sabi ko nga baka pagkatapos ng show na ‘to, pwede na ako mag-showbiz. Ayoko na mag-abugado, showbiz na lang ako. Alam mo pwede rin akong bomba star. Baki hindi ka tumatawa diyan? Tumawa ka diyan.”

Light moment, indeed.

  1. Revillame, when asking Roque for a meeting with the president said, “Wag lang sana ako murahin. Roque replied, “Wala ka namang dahilan para murahin ka, galit lang naman siya sa kurakot.”

We all know this to be not always true.

  1. Roque promoted Go, “Napakagandang ideya ng napakagaling na senador na si Senator Bong Go. Sinabi niya, pwede bang huwag mo na banggitin ‘yung pangalan ko, ay mahirap eh, kasi ideya niya iyong Balik Probinsya, tawag nya Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa.”

Many people have noted how Go, no longer former Special Assistant to the President and already a member of a co-equal branch of government, always attend the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) meetings with the president and proposed the Balik Probinsya program in one of these IATF meetings that the president approved right away. Go is also noted to have regular airtime in the daily public briefings of the government.

Revillame also revealed in the show that he was stranded on lockdown in Puerto Galera and he called up Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, and was able to return to the metro and continue with his show sans the audience in the reformatted “Tutok to Win sa Wowowin.” He asked for a schedule to meet with the president so he can give a proposal to help people, asking Roque and Go to be the bridge for this meeting to happen.

  1. When asked where the country is headed and what are his feelings on the situation , Roque answered: “Sino ba namang mag-iisip na mananalo ang city mayor galing Davao. Ang kalaban batikang mambabatas, mayayaman, napakalaki ng exposure sa national eh ito hamak na mayor sa Davao. Pero alam mo ang swerte natin dahil mayor siya, alam niya ‘yung pulso ng tao, alam niya ‘yung hirap ng tao, alam niya ‘yung panaginip ng tao, hindi nga siguro siya presidentiable, hindi marunong mag-Inglis, palaging nagmumura, maraming nag-iisip, nagsasabi, ganyan ba ang asta ng presidente? Pero ninais po ng panginoon na na ang maging lider natin sa mga panahon na ito at sino ba namang mag-aakala na magkakaroon tayo ng COVID-19? Sinong mag-aakala na masasarado ang buong mundo, hindi lang naman dito sa Pilipinas?”

 

Public officials on Wowowin during lockdown

This is the second time a public official guested on the show during the lockdown and for the host to get information about the COVID-19 pandemic. IATF Co-chair (and its former spokesperson) Karlo Nograles cried on the show on April 21 after watching a tribute video to police manning checkpoints, also among those considered as frontliners.

“Ginagawa natin ang lahat… nakita ko yung sa mga pulis, naawa talaga ako. Lahat ng pinagdadaanan, tapos hirap na nga ng buhay, hirap na nga sa trabaho, tapos ginagawa pang kalaban…Hindi natin kalaban mga pulis, ginagawa lang nila ‘yan para sa proteksiyonan ang bawat isa. Pero lahat ‘yan may pamilya, lahat ‘yan may anak. Yung banta sa buhay nila, yung kaligtasan nila, saktripisyo para sa atin. Mahirap, mahirap, naawa ako sa kanila,” said Nograles, voice cracking with emotion.

[We are doing everything… when I see the police, I pity them. Everything that they go through, their hardships in life, difficulties on the job and they are perceived as enemies… They are not our enemies, they are doing all they can to protect each one of us. All of them have families. All of them have children. The threats to their lives, their safety, their sacrifices for us. It’s hard, hard, I pity them.]

The IATF used to be the government’s decision making body for COVID-19 response, but became the policy-making body following the adoption of the National Action Plan and the National Task Force COVID-19 now headed the government’s pandemic response.

Revillame said that Go would guest in the show one of these days.

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