Is there room for humor when reporting on risk, disasters? Here's what experts say
Is using humor to lighten the mood in distressing situations appropriate? As parts of the Philippines are battered by heavy rains and severe floods caused by severe tropical storm Crising and the southwest monsoon, some government officials and media entities have drawn flak for seemingly making light of the situation.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is in the US, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla was authorized to announce class and work suspensions amid the inclement weather. Instead of writing the announcement formally, the DILG took a more lighthearted and humorous approach.
"Mga Abangers, may inaabangan ba kayo? Mamaya na kain muna ako," one of the posts read, with the message appearing to come from Remulla.
"Mga Abangers, sarap ng bogchi ko. Sa kabusugan ay naka idlip nang sandali.
Oh eto na inaabangan ninyo: Walang pasok sa lahat ng baitang kasama kolehiyo at seminarista, at mga tanggapan ng gobyerno para sa July 23, 2025," read another post.
The DILG later made a correction on the announcement and included Pampanga and Cavite in the list. In the caption, they wrote, "Sorry na. Wow Mali ako. Kasama kayo sa walang pasok. Manual kasi ang pag kopya ko ng kodigo mula OCD [Office of Civil Defense]. Chill lang kayo mga bro. Mahal ko talaga kayo. Sorry na."
Laguna Governor Sol Aragones took a similar approach when she announced that classes would not be suspended on July 21. "Alam kong kanina nyo pa ito hinihintay, eto na," she said, adding peace sign emojis. The art card she shared read, "Walang mag pupuyat! May pasok na bukas!"
While some found the posts amusing and did not mind the lighthearted tone, others thought that lacing humor with such announcements was inappropriate during this time.
"Sir, with all due respect, hindi po ata appropriate na nagbibiro pa po kayo sa ganitong panahon lalong-lalo na kung madaming pamilya ang hanggang ngayon ay nakalubog pa rin sa baha. Reserve the jokes for yourself and present an effective plan of action for the next days to come kasi expectedly, dapat natututo sana tayo sa taon-taong kalamidad na nararanasan natin," one user said in the comments of the DILG's post.
Another said, "Please be serious with public announcements. This is the official page of one of the most important agencies in the government. Kung may natutuwa meron din naiirita kapag nakakakita ng mga ganitong post from one of the agencies in the government."
Celebrities like Jake Ejercito and Jessy Mendiola also called out DILG for the tone of their posts.
"There's a time and place for trying to be funny—this isn't one of them," Ejercito said.
"Is this supposed to be funny?" Mendiola added, affixing a broken heart emoji.
Other users took a more objective stance and expressed understanding of the circumstances of the post.
"Given the weather crisis, I see why some might feel frustrated—but I also think it’s okay for the DILG rep to take a moment and say ‘Mamaya na kakain muna ako.’ Crisis or not, we’re all human. Pausing to eat or pray isn’t shirking responsibility—it’s taking care of yourself so you don’t crash completely," one user said.
What do experts say?
Norvine Macalindong Quinag, a communications instructor who teaches Disaster Communication, expressed his disapproval of the captions and underscored how using jokes or memes when announcing serious situations "is strongly discouraged."
"Doing so not only downplays the gravity of the situation but can also lead audiences to develop a dismissive attitude toward disaster warnings," he said in a Facebook post.
"While it’s important to connect with the audience, there is a time and place for lighthearted content—and this is not one of them. Disasters involve real dangers. There are lives and properties at stake," he added.
Apart from the DILG, Quinag also called out a post from a radio news station in Batangas for also making a humorous caption in their post about the inclement weather.
"What’s alarming is seeing media organizations and even government officials resorting to humor or trending formats for clout. This isn’t just inappropriate—it’s irresponsible," Quinag said. "Disaster and risk communication must be taken seriously. Let’s stop normalizing this kind of approach before it costs us more than just credibility," he added.
Duke Binos, chairperson of AGOS Makati Coalition who teaches effective disaster and humanitarian communication, echoed the same sentiments in that "there’s no room for jokes in times of disaster."
"People’s lives are at risk, and government officials have a duty to communicate seriously and responsibly. Making light of others’ suffering is insensitive, especially when you’re not the one affected," he told PhilSTAR L!fe in an interview.
Faye Abugan, who teaches Risk Disaster and Humanitarian Communication at the University of Santo Tomas, meanwhile believed that humor may have its place in risk communication, which occurs during pre-disaster phases, but never in disaster communication, which focuses on an existing critical situation.
"It may be useful in capturing the audience's attention and [creating] some buzz, especially in social media. However, [researchers] generally advise caution or outright avoidance of humor, particularly when the goal is to foster preparedness or build trust with a broad audience."
She cited a study in which researchers came up with a zombie apocalypse preparedness campaign, explaining that despite gaining attention, it "reduced the public's willingness to prepare" and that non-humorous messages "fared better at getting behavioral outcomes."
How should disasters be reported?
According to Binos, journalists and public officials should stick to facts, avoid causing panic, and speak with empathy and clarity.
"They must prioritize public safety, avoid spreading unverified information, and respect the dignity of those affected," Binos said.
He also advised using clear language, real stories, strong visuals, and direct calls to action to engage audiences without resorting to humor.
"Being honest and human connects more than jokes. You don’t need to be funny to be heard, you need to be real to be remembered," he highlighted.
Abugan, meanwhile, said that "trust and credibility should be prioritized above all else."
"Serious risks should not be trivialized. They should remember that trust directly impacts the value of information. The audience should be able to trust the media and the government. If the audience doesn't trust them, even if the information is accurate, it is significantly less valuable," she explained.
For July 20 to July 24, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that although Crising will be outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to affect the country. It will bring occasional rains to the western sections of Luzon and Visayas.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Tuesday that six people have died due to Crising and the habagat. A total of 1,266,322 Filipinos, or 362,465 families, have been affected.
