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Lea Salonga, Pokwang hit those who insult single mothers

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/entertainment/05/03/leasalonga-pokwang-050317.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Broadway star Lea Salonga and Comedian Pokwang. <cite>Photos from ABS-CBN</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>(2nd UPDATE)</strong> Broadway star Lea Salonga decried those who look down on single mothers, saying they deserve a &quot;special place in hell,&quot; just an hour after Senator Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III joked about Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo having kids out of wedlock.  </p><p>At her confirmation hearing Wednesday, Sotto <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/17/na-ano-lang-sotto-twits-taguiwalo-for-having-children-out-of-wedlock">asked</a> Taguiwalo whether she was single after seeing that she has two kids. </p><p>Taguiwalo replied that her life has never been a &quot;normal one,&quot; before Sotto decided to make a quip and used a colloquial Tagalog phrase to describe her as &quot;na-ano lang.&quot;</p><p>The controversial exchange appeared to have prompted a response from Salonga, who took to <a href="https://twitter.com/MsLeaSalonga">Twitter</a> to share that she was raised by a her mother, Ligaya Salonga, single-handedly. </p><p>&quot;For much of my growing-up years, my mother was a single mother,&quot; she wrote. &quot;I curse anyone and everyone that sees women like her as &#x27;less than&#x27;.&#x27;&#x27; </p><p>She added: &quot;My husband was, for much of his upbringing, raised by a single mother. I curse anyone that sees women like her as &#x27;less than&#x27;. For those that look down upon these beloved ladies, there&#x27;s a special place in hell for the likes of you.&quot; </p><p>Others who were disturbed by Sotto&#x27;s remarks include director Antoinette Jadaone and screenwriter Anj Pessumal, who worked on movies &quot;Starting Over Again&quot; and &quot;English Only, Please.&quot; </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hay, Tito Sotto. God bless the women of the Philippines - na-ano or otherwise!</p>— Tonette, Tonette (@tonetjadaone) <a href="https://twitter.com/tonetjadaone/status/859648102571134976">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/sotto_tito">@sotto_tito</a>, isn&#x27;t your daughter Ciara separated frm her husband and now raising their child as a single mom? &quot;Na-ano lang&quot; din ba siya?</p>— Anj (@anjpessumal) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjpessumal/status/859665420118245376">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Comedian Pokwang also blasted Sotto, saying that the reason she is a single mother is because the father of her daughter didn&#x27;t have the guts to own up to the responsibility. </p><p>&quot;Sa lahat ng single mom sa buong mundo, mabuhay tayong lahat!!! Yahooo! God bless us all,&quot; she wrote, before adding: &quot;Hindi po ako na-ano lang! Naging single mom ako kasi wala pong bayag ang lalaking minahal ko! Pero binuhay ko ng marangal mga anak ko!&quot; </p><p>For her part, actress Janine Gutierrez tweeted: &quot;My respect to all the single mothers who take on the immense responsibility of successfully raising children on their own.&quot; </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Hindi po ako na-ano lang! naging single mom ako kasi wala pong BAYAG!! ang lalaking minahal ko! pero binuhay ko ng marangal mga anak ko!</p>— marietta subong (@pokwang27) <a href="https://twitter.com/pokwang27/status/859693539495510016">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Sa lahat ng single mom sa buong mundo,, mabuhay tayong lahat!!! Yahooo... God bless us all ❤️❤️❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PinagPala?src=hash">#PinagPala</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/moreBlessingstoUs?src=hash">#moreBlessingstoUs</a></p>— marietta subong (@pokwang27) <a href="https://twitter.com/pokwang27/status/859676446754693121">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">My respect to all the single mothers who take on the immense responsibility of successfully raising children on their own 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼</p>— Janine Gutierrez (@janinegutierrez) <a href="https://twitter.com/janinegutierrez/status/859674594445111296">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Here are the other celebrities who took offense at Sotto&#x27;s comments: </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Mabuhay ang mga solo parents, iba ang lakas at katatagan ninyo. 👏👏👏</p>— Bianca Gonzalez (@iamsuperbianca) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsuperbianca/status/859706373335949312">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tito (tē-taw) n. Creepy guy you see at reunions. Stares at your legs. Cracks a misogynistic &quot;joke.&quot; The only one drinking beer at 10am.</p>— Saab (@saabmagalona) <a href="https://twitter.com/saabmagalona/status/859691933928521728">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What a disrespectful little boy. I pray to God no one treats the women in your life the way you just treated this woman. <a href="https://t.co/TWxLgn49Ef">https://t.co/TWxLgn49Ef</a></p>— Kiana Valenciano (@KianaVee) <a href="https://twitter.com/KianaVee/status/859694492839849984">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sotto making fun of single parents this time? I mean, how many uneducated statements can you make before you actually learn to shut up.</p>— Lauren Young (@loyoung) <a href="https://twitter.com/loyoung/status/859683397228048384">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I too was raised only by my mother at one point in my life and trust me its no joke. She&#x27;s got more substance, spunk and smarts than you do.</p>— Lauren Young (@loyoung) <a href="https://twitter.com/loyoung/status/859684307715014656">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Hindi ka naman nya inaano? 🤧</p>— alessandra de rossi (@msderossi) <a href="https://twitter.com/msderossi/status/859695519483928576">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Volleyball star-turned-television host Gretchen Ho described Sotto&#x27;s comments as &quot;misogynistic,&quot; while comedian Vice Ganda went with a more humorous approach. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Anung ganap? Bakit parang nagkakaanuhan? Anu na?! May naano ba? Sinong nang aano? Wag kayong ano jan ha!</p>— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) <a href="https://twitter.com/vicegandako/status/859695667496628225">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Gabriela Women&#x27;s Party <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/17/gabriela-seeks-sotto-apology-for-na-ano-lang-quip-to-taguiwalo">criticized</a> Sotto, saying that the senator &quot;went out of bounds&quot; in pointing out that the cabinet appointee had children outside marriage. </p><p>Sotto has already apologized but pointed out that those panning him for his remarks &quot;didn&#x27;t understand&quot; his joke.</p><p>Saying he would be the last to disrespect women, Sotto explained that he meant nothing malicious in raising Taguiwalo&#x27;s status as a solo parent, adding that two of his daughters are also single mothers. </p><p>Sotto&#x27;s name was the most talked about topic on Twitter, even hours after the hearing concluded. </p><p>LJ Reyes, who has a son with former boyfriend Paulo Avelino, wrote on Instagram: &quot;I am a proud single mom to my son Aki! I think it&#x27;s time to stand up for all the women who single-handedly raise their child(ren)! No matter what people say! Respect begets respect! God bless you!&quot; </p><p>Paolo Contis, Reyes&#x27; current beau, added: Ang alam ko sa joke dapat nakakatawa, hindi nakaka offend. Single motherhood should not be joked about.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Well, what can I expect, hindi ka nga pala magaling magpatawa kahit kailan. [LJ] is one great mother and I am very proud of her! Malamang mas lalake pa siya kesa sayo!&quot;</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:50.0% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BToXNKBAZTT/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by LJ Reyes (@lj_reyes)</a> on <time dateTime="2017-05-03T12:45:08+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">May 3, 2017 at 5:45am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:62.5% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BToXGSBjWQp/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Paolo Contis (@paolo_contis)</a> on <time dateTime="2017-05-03T12:44:11+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">May 3, 2017 at 5:44am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Regine Velasquez posted a quote that read: &quot;Single moms: You are a doctor, a teacher, a nurse, a maid, a cook, a referee, a heroine, a provider, a defender, a protector, a true Superwoman. Wear your cape proudly.&quot; </p><p>Alex Medina, as well as Jennylyn Mercado, a solo parent to her son with Patrick Garcia, also took to Twitter to air their grievances. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Feeling ko tinapos na ni Sotto eh. Uwian na may nanalo na! Sinagad mo brah! Gold ka sa shame olympics</p>— Alex Medina (@alexvincentm) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexvincentm/status/859727015951257600">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">I have high respects for my fellow solo parents by choice or by force. Mahirap dahil mag-isa, pero lahat kinakaya dahil sa love sa anak.❤️</p>— jennylyn mercado (@MercadoJen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MercadoJen/status/859755583850782720">May 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Gabriela Women&#x27;s Party <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/17/gabriela-seeks-sotto-apology-for-na-ano-lang-quip-to-taguiwalo">criticized</a> Sotto, saying that the senator &quot;went out of bounds&quot; in pointing out that the cabinet appointee had children outside marriage. </p><p>Sotto has already apologized but pointed out that those panning him for his remarks &quot;didn&#x27;t understand&quot; his joke.</p><p>Saying he would be the last to disrespect women, Sotto explained that he meant nothing malicious in raising Taguiwalo&#x27;s status as a solo parent, adding that two of his daughters are also single mothers. </p><p>Sotto&#x27;s name was the most talked about topic on Twitter, even hours after the hearing concluded. </p>

<p>Broadway star Lea Salonga decried those who look down on single mothers, saying they deserve a 'special place in hell.'</p>

Broadway star Lea Salonga decried those who look down on single mothers, saying they deserve a 'special place in hell.'