Netizen reactions can get overwhelming nowadays but here’s proof that online backlash does work in spreading awareness.
Yesterday, blogger Drew Olivar apologized for the controversial video of him making fun of deaf people and sign language, following intense criticism from netizens, politicians, and members of PWD (people with disability) communities.
Through a Facebook Live that ran for more than 18 minutes, Olivar repeatedly said sorry.
He began by saying that he has known about the backlash since the other day and that he wants to apologize because he acknowledges that he was in the wrong.
“That’s why I’m asking for forgiveness from the deaf community,” he said in Filipino.
Seemingly walking on eggshells, Olivar even asked viewers about the politically correct way to call those who are “mute.”
“I’m humbling myself … I know it’s difficult but I know I’m wrong,” Olivar continued. “I won’t reason out. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry po. Please forgive me. Please forgive me for being insensitive and for being ‘childish’.”
This “childish” behavior refers to how he imitated sign language interpreters in a Facebook Live video with fellow blogger and Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.
The two laughed as Olivar “signed” incomprehensible things. Uson even said, “You’re like a monkey” at one point.
The video angered many people, including Senator Nancy Binay who said it was not funny.
Olivar’s Facebook Live apology has gotten more than 140,000 views, more than 600 shares, and more than 3,000 reactions as of this posting.
In a Facebook post yesterday, the PWD Philippines Facebook page said that it has accepted Olivar’s apology.
Olivar and Uson are both staunch supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte. But according to Olivar, even DDS (Duterte Diehard Supporters) called him out for what he did.
This was a revelation as most DDS stand by pro-Duterte social media influencers even when they do crazy things, which, sadly, happens a lot.
Both Olivar and Uson, for example, also figured themselves in another video controversy last month for an inappropriate video that consisted of puns referencing the Filipino words for vagina and breasts.
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