‘Eat Bulaga’ under fire again for insensitive domestic violence joke

The incident made netizens recall past incidents where some hosts of the show touched and made insensitive comments on various delicate topics.

The long-running Philippine noontime show Eat Bulaga has once again sparked controversy after airing a joke about domestic violence, drawing widespread criticism on social media.

 

During the Sugod Bahay Mga Kapatid segment, host Jose Manalo quipped that the name “Pinagbuhatan” in Pasig stemmed from a husband hitting his wife.

“Galing po ata ‘yan sa mag-asawang nag-aaway!-Pinagbuhatan!”—a remark met with an awkward silence from co-host Maine Mendoza and immediate backlash online.

Netizens expressed disappointment and outrage, with many condemning the show’s insensitivity. X user @milktaerae pointed out the issue, stating, ”sinong agency, partylist or NGO ang dapat itag dito ang insensitive ng joke”.

Meanwhile, @dir_ziggy questioned the reaction of Mendoza, writing, “Kaloka, natutuwa pa ba si @mainedcm sa kanila? Chrewww?”.

 

This is not the first time Eat Bulaga has come under fire for similar remarks. In 2018, the show faced backlash over a domestic violence-related joke during its Juan For All, All For Juan segment, sparking public outrage. The repeated instances of insensitive humor have led to renewed calls for the program to be more mindful of its content, particularly on serious issues like domestic violence, which remains a pressing concern for many Filipinos.

Despite these controversies, Eat Bulaga continues to be a mainstay in Philippine television, though its repeated missteps raise ongoing concerns about its responsibility toward its audience.