DSWD Sec Calls Out Pasig Candidate for Joke on Single Mothers
"They may laugh, but that doesn't mean they'll vote for you."
(SPOT.ph) A joke at the expense of single mothers has earned Pasig congressional candidate Christian “Ian” Sia a public scolding from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian. Sia has since apologized for the remark.
ICYMI: Sia is under fire for telling solo mothers during a campaign event they could they could “sleep with him once a year” if they were feeling lonely. He even gestured to a nearby table where they could “sign up,” before taking it back by saying he was just joking.
“As DSWD Secretary, I simply do not find this funny,” Gatchalian said in a strongly worded statement on April 3, adding that solo parents are “real-life heroes” who should not be ridiculed. “They raise their children alone through sheer sacrifice. Let’s not marginalize them further.”
Having served multiple terms as a congressman himself, Gatchalian acknowledged how tough it is to engage voters in barangay gatherings, especially in the heat, but he said cracking inappropriate jokes at the expense of vulnerable groups should never be part of any campaign strategy.
“Let’s not underestimate voters. They may laugh, but that doesn’t mean they’ll vote for you. Engage them by telling them what you will do for them, rather than making them the punchline of your jokes.”
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Ian Sia apologizes for joke on single mothers
Sia’s remarks have also prompted the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to issue him a show-cause order, where he is required to explain why he should not be held liable for a potential election offense within the next 72 hours.
Before issuing a formal apology, Sia defended his controversial remark about single mothers by saying he used humor to re-engage the crowd after a long program. He urged supporters to blame the uploader of the viral clip, saying it failed to show the laughter that followed after his statement.
“Wag po kayo magalit sakin, magalit po kayo sa gumawa ng video,” Sia said. “Ang nakita lang sa video yung sinabi, pero yung reaksyon ng tao, hindi nakita na tumawa, yun lang ang purpose ng joke.”
By April 4, the congressional bet had shifted his tone, offering a more serious and sincere apology during a press conference following mounting criticism.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Sa mga nasaktan na solo parent, ako ay humihingi ng patawad at paumanhin. Hindi ko intention na makasakit,” Sia said in a press conference the next day on April 4. “Hangarin kong matulugan ‘yang sector na ‘yan. Sa darating na araw, all you will hear from me is mga isyu na dapat maging focus ngayong eleksyon.”
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