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MANILA, Philippines – The management of the government’s People’s Television Network (PTV) said Wednesday that it would “certainly institute disciplinary action” against members of its social media team who, in one “wrong post,” used the #dutertepalpak hashtag popular with Netizens dissatisfied with the government’s COVID-19 response.
“Palpak” in Filipino means “mistake” or “shameful failure.”
“PTV New Media deeply regrets the error and takes full responsibility for oversight. Management will certainly institute disciplinary action against members of the social media team behind the erroneous post, ”he said in a statement. PTV New Media operates the television station’s website and social media pages.
The post that appeared on the television network’s Twitter and Facebook accounts at around 7 p.m. Tuesday contained a link to a story on the PTV website about Duterte’s instructions for the interior department and local officials. provide free masks to poor Filipinos.
It read: “President Rodrigo R. #dutertepalpak BTS reiterated his order to provide free masks for the public, especially for those who cannot buy their own.” The now-deleted post immediately went viral, with people sharing screenshots on social media.
Predictive text
More than two hours later, the television station issued a statement saying that “PTV is currently investigating the intent behind the malicious post. Our apologies. “He added that the post contained” the wrong hashtag that was never in the original title. “
Later, an updated statement said the post was the result of “predictive systems in the text entry phase and a failure to properly review and filter the message that was posted.”
The “BTS” mentioned in the post could be a reference to the popular K-pop group nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo / Group Performance. The band’s performance at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles on March 14 was also trending on social media.
At a press conference on Monday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., when asked about the trending hashtag, said that based on the data, the government managed to reduce COVID-19 cases and the death toll.
He admitted that although the cases had increased this month, this could have been due to the entry into the country of the new and more communicable variants of COVID-19 and not because the government was a failure.
‘Truth hurts’
For former Vice President Jejomar Binay, PTV should not punish staff for the mistake, as “he or she simply shares the sentiment of many Filipinos.”
“Even on a government television station, we assume that there is still freedom of expression,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
“Sometimes the truth hurts. And this may sound familiar to many, but the people deserve more than a ‘manhid at palpak’ government, ”added Binay, who has recently become more vocal in her criticism of the government.
PTV-4 said it would resume broadcasting Thursday after a two-day disinfection of its central office in Quezon City.
—WITH REPORT FROM DEXTER CABALZA
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