Remulla ribs Aragones over class suspension

A light-hearted exchange between Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Laguna Governor Sol Aragones on Facebook has amused — and annoyed — netizens, after Aragones declared a province-wide class suspension due to persistent flooding from heavy rains.

On Monday, 22 July, Governor Aragones announced the suspension of classes in all levels, both public and private, across Laguna province for Tuesday. The decision was made in response to heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon or habagat.

Hours later, Remulla posted a playful message addressed to his “new BFF” Sol on the official Facebook page of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), poking fun at the move.

“Ayon sa DOST ay hindi raw kasama ang Laguna sa Hazard map para bukas. Kung tutuusin ay isang ilat lang ang pagitan natin,” Remulla wrote, referring to how close Cavite and Laguna are geographically. “Yung dati ko na BFF si Ramil, lagi kaming nag trash-tokan. Ganito ire, kung tingin mo nanganganib ang mga kababayan mo ay ikaw na ang bahala. Suportahan ta ka. Basta kung ano ang desisyon mo, back up ako 100%. basta kung ano ang desisyon mo, back up ako 100%.”

Aragones responded with her own comment, explaining her reasoning in a similarly casual tone:

“Nag decide ako mag suspend bukas ng klase sa laguna dahil di na keri ang baha sa ibat ibang barangay dito... thank you sec sa support ha...bff na rin tayo ha😊✌️”

While some netizens found the exchange amusing and appreciated the camaraderie between officials, others criticized the tone of the DILG post. One commenter called it “try-hard,” while others warned against using official government accounts for humorous posts, suggesting it could downplay the seriousness of public announcements.

Others rallied behind Aragones, praising her quick decision to prioritize public safety amid unpredictable weather and ongoing rainfall.