The ‘MaJoHa’ story continues as the PBB housemates receive history lessons as part of their ‘weekly tasks.’
The infamous #MaJoHa video — where the teen contestants struggled to recognize GomBurZa and answer basic historical facts – garnered significant reactions from netizens and celebrities. Lawmakers were also alarmed as they believe the clip demonstrated the decline in the quality of education in the country.
To help the teens engage in Filipino history, the show took the housemates to receive lessons from the Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo.
Photos and videos posted from ‘Pinoy Big Brother ABS-CBN’ Facebook page showed the teen housemates touring Ayala Museum’s ‘Intertwined: Transpacific, Transcultural Philippines’ exhibit curated by Florina Capistrano-Baker, Ph.D.
The exhibit aims to “illuminate our transpacific heritage generated by regional and global maritime exchanges from prehistory to the Spanish and early American colonial periods.” Ocampo enlightened the contestants about Filipino pre-colonial culture such as the Manunggul Jar and the story behind Gregorio del Pilar’s death.
Many fans commended the show’s effort in exposing the teens to important history lessons, especially the sacrifices of the national heroes.
Before the tour ended, Ocampo reminded the housemates saying, “Ang importante kasi sa atin ay malaman natin ang kasaysayan, para hindi natin ulitin ang mga pagkakamali ng nakaraan.”
When asked for their reaction to the viral MaJoHa video and the decline of education in the Philippines, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones noted that the problems of the education sector should not be blamed on the current admin, citing that they are only following the curriculum passed on to them by previous administrations.
Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio also says that it’s ‘unfair’ to criticize DepEd because learning is not just their responsibility. He added it’s likely the youth have been taught about GomBurZa and the history but they just forgot about it.
However, educators like Benjo Basas Teachers’ Dignity Coalition Chairperson still clamor to bring back the dedicated subject for Philippine history in high school.
“Thanks to that episode of ‘PBB’ kasi na-highlight, napag-uusapan ito. At baka naman by this revelation, maisip na uli ng DepEd na ibalik na ito,” he said.
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/PBBabscbntv/photos/1984779171720449
Source: www.ayalamuseum.org/exhibitions/intertwined, https://www.facebook.com/PBBabscbntv
