Teachers’ group lashes at Rosanna Roces

A group of public school teachers on Tuesday scored former sexy star Rosanna Roces for her insulting statements uttered in a noontime television show. At the same time, the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), through its national chairperson Benjo Basas, commended the Movie and Television Review Classification Board (MTRCB) for suspending Showtime, aired over ABS-CBN network, for 20 days. “How come a very influential entertainment figure would utter such comment against teachers in a national television?," Basas noted. ABS-CBN, meanwhile, said it would question the need for the preventive suspension of the show, noting that Roces was removed from Showtime as part of the network's self-regulation. "A preventive suspension is issued to stop further violations, if there were any committed, or for the interest or welfare of the public. Thus, the network questions the need for said preventive suspension when Rosanna Roces has already been removed from the program," a statement released by the ABS-CBN Corporate Communications department said. The judge is judged Roces was one of the judges in the said talent show aired last January 7. The former sex siren made a comment when a contestant from Calamba, Laguna, failed to answer her question about the origin of Jose Rizal’s name. “Murahin mo yung teacher mo ha. Ako minura ko teacher ko nung hindi niya sinagot sa akin ‘yan," Roces allegedly told the contestant. Roces, according to a report in Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) web site, asked one of the contestants how come Rizal's full name is Jose Protacio Rizal when his father's name was Francisco Mercado and his mother's name was Teodora Alonzo. “Oo, walanghiya 'yang mga teacher na 'yan, hindi sinasabi yung totoo sa atin, e! Ikaw taga-roon ka hindi mo alam," Roces said. “Pero mga kabataan, huwag kayong makuntento sa itinuturo ng libro at ng teacher. Magtatanong po kayo, hindi masama iyon. Oo, dahil ang mga teachers, they were just repeaters. Itinuturo nila kung ano ang itinuro sa kanila. Hindi na nila itinuturo kung ano ang gustong malaman ng mga bata." Basas said Roces' statement was an insult to all educators in the country. He also branded another Roces remarks as “added insult to injury" by stating: “Kayo mga kabataan huwag kayong makukuntento sa itinuturo ng libro at ng teacher. Magtatanong kayo hindi naman masama yun. Dahil ang mga teacher they were just repeaters, itinuturo nila kung ano ang naituro sa kanila, hindi na nila itinuturo kung ano yung gustong malaman ng mga bata." “The first two sentences of her comment may be true in a given context. However, we could not pardon the third, which gives the entire message of the remark; teachers do not have the capacity to critically analyze the teaching and learning process," Basas said. MTRCB praised The TDC official praised MTRCB’s for its action to imposed 20-day suspension on the said program because of Roces remarks. However, Basas thought the network decision to remove Roces from its pool of jury is enough, and suspension order should be lifted. “We commend the action of the MTRCB. Such insensitive and obnoxious remarks against the pillars of Philippine education and the noblest of all professionals should not be shown in TV, especially in a program being watch by millions of our youth," he said. “However, we are in sympathy with the show’s production staff, hosts, other judges, contestants and the viewing public who, in one way or another have been affected by this controversy," Basas said. “We are also in belief that the suspension of the entire show for 20 days is too much for a penalty and should be lifted immediately." - GMANews.TV