I would like to clarify this issue about VP Leni Robredo yesterday regarding her reading the “Digong Dilaw” book for the kids of Tondo, Manila. I was there and I believe I am highly involved in this issue. This is my response to Mr. Francis Abraham’s facebook post yesterday.
I am Jam Ong, the founder of the Dubredo Army • Duterte-Robredo,a group who STAUNCHLY supports President Duterte and VP Leni amidst all the political and personal misunderstandings and issues. Moreover, we are not employed or under any government offices, we are an individual group who has our own principles and mission. We volunteer, we help, we donate, we promote unity between the president and vice president over diversity. (Feel free to question who and why I support them, I’d love to refute.)
Our group volunteered to help her anti-poverty program (Metrolaylayan) yesterday, November 6, and I was one of those who were assigned on the day care activities.
Our group owns the Digong Dilaw book that VP Leni read yesterday to the kids. Again, it is a book written by our national artist Virgilio S. Almario way back in 2003 (it was published even before the divisive issues between the president and the “yellows” rose to public).
VP Leni already read this story to the kids before in Camarines Sur way back in 2017 (READ: Digong Dilaw? Robredo picks book on yellow-loving kid for storytelling session) and has expressed her admiration for the book during her radio interviews, I’m actually surprised how it made noise just now when it was her second time reading it lol!
Now, I was the one who personally asked her to read it because I’m a Dubredo (DUterte and roBREDO supporter) and ‘Digong’ and ‘Dilaw’ are in the title, the irony is just perfect but aside from that, I don’t see anything wrong with the story being told to the children as it actually is about a boy named Digo who is very much into yellow foods and the lesson of the story is to also eat other kinds/colors of food aside from yellow. Relating it to this political world, I still don’t think it is wrong because looking at the story at a deeper aspect, the plot actually encourages the readers to NOT be biased with colors and open our eyes to the other options as well. This may sound funny but naging malungkot ang buhay ni Digo dahil lahat ng nasa paligid niya ay naging dilaw, isn’t relatable? Hindi ba magiging nakakapanlumo ang bansa kung lahat tayo magiging bias lang sa iisang kulay? Let’s be objective here. Let’s fathom into the issues deeper.
Also, looks like most just read the title of the book and didn’t bother to read its content before criticizing VP Leni for reading it. The lesson is deep, the lesson is meaningful and important. Actually Sass Sasot (A staunch Duterte supporter) posted about it before I think way back in 2016 finding the irony also humorous, why are we so mad now? How are most DDS reacting negative to this now? I thought we love humor because our President has it? Spare the vice president from the accusations that this is a PR stunt, our intentions are pure.
Lastly, I didn’t ask her (VP Leni) to read it to mind-condition the children or to generate a PR stunt for her or in favor of anyone. I asked her to read it because we mutually admire the irony and the lesson the book can bring PLUS I personally like to promote the book to support our very own national artist, Virgilio S. Almario. 😊 Support our own, support the local, yeah? Unity is the beginning of growth of this country.
Yours truly,
Jam Ong
Amateur Centrist Speaks 