23/07/2025
๐ข๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ก | ๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐-๐ฆ๐ผ-๐๐๐ป๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐
When I was in third year, I took Risk, Disaster, and Humanitarian Communication as part of Development Communication's curriculum. At first, I wasn't particularly interested in learning how to communicate about disasters and hazards. However, upon reading the recent post of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), I was reminded of the importance of what I study.
Consecutive typhoons continue to pour over the countryโBagyong Dante and Emong are currently on the moveโprompting the public to expect fast and reliable updates from credible sources. In the midst of this, however, the DILG posted a work suspension announcement in a humorous tone, using terms like "Mga Abangers", referring to people waiting for official announcements.
With streets flooding and people getting stranded, the community relies on government agencies for clear and timely weather announcements. But how can we depend on these announcements when the people delivering them treat the situation as a laughing matter?
Public agencies are among the primary sources we rely onโwe even become โabangersโ ourselves, waiting for their announcements. But using this stormy weather as an opportunity to make jokes questions the agencyโs credibility and reflects a lack of sensitivity to the real struggles of those they are serving. While families are evacuating their homes, they are sitting in air-conditioned offices thinking of a witty caption, hoping that it will amuse netizens.
Suspension announcements should never be treated as a joke. Yes, some may feel relief because they get a day off from work or school. Yes, others may find the content amusing and share it online. But here's a bigger truth: thereโs a father worrying about how to feed his daughter during the rainstorm, there's a mother desperately searching for medicine as her son battles the flu. There are Filipinos suffering in places that these "funny" announcements could never reach.
In times of climate-related crises, communication plays a vital role in ensuring public safety. Announcements must be delivered clearly and responsibly, as they can significantly impact peopleโs ability to prepare and protect themselves. When the community is enduring hardship, we must be firm and responsible with the messages we deliverโespecially when those announcements can mean the difference between life and death.
If students like me are taught to be people-oriented and are trained to serve our communities, then those in public service should be held to the same standard. Because unlike these announcements that try so hard to be funny, their rolesโand the responsibilities that come with themโdemand credibility, not comedy.
Written by Dana Jen. Sta. Ines
