NCCA faces backlash after ‘Nazi salute’ photos of online program hosts went viral
The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) recently received backlash after photos of its online program hosts, who appeared to be doing the infamous Sieg heil or Nazi salute, circulated on social media.
The photos were believed to be from the Commission’s now deleted Facebook post that introduces the hosts of Padayon: The NCCA Hour, a cultural online program launched in July 2020 that aims to “ignite and instill in all Filipinos the appreciation for love of arts and culture.”
The show is hosted by NCCA public affairs and information section head Rene Napenas, international affairs section head Annie Luis and plan/policy formulation and programming division officer-in-charge and arts section head Ferdie Isleta.
In a number of countries—including Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Sweden—making the gesture is a criminal offense. It has also become one of the world’s most offensive gestures because of its dark and despicable past.
After receiving criticisms, the NCCA took down its post and issued a statement on Twitter.
“We would like to clear that the photos earlier released on the Padayon: The NCCA Hour gesture is a forward hand motion followed by a wave and accompanied by Padayon’s tag line 'Sulong na!' as seen in most of our video teasers,” the NCCA said.
The Commission continued, “We are in no way encouraging or harboring Neo-Nazi beliefs/practices in the Commission.”
The NCCA also said it will “rethink of another hand gesture that better show our intent moving forward.”
The backlash continued after the Commission released its statement.
@Mariann46909097 on Twitter scathingly commented, “Wow NCCA… are you really that dumb not to know that that was a Nazi salute???”
Journalist Daryll Delgado (@daryll_reads) responded to the Commission’s tweet, “Are we living in a comic strip? This is too funny. How about just not wasting your time thinking of new hand gestures? Here are some free hand emojis na puede pong pag-pilian.”
Meanwhile, @0831mayi took a jab at the hosts who were not wearing a facemask under their face shield.
One @AlonzoSharpie also said, “Calm down. There is no Nazi wave; it’s a salute. Maybe @NCCAOfficial should tweet a video of the hand motion to show different it is from the Nazi salute.
Upon checking the episodes of Padayon at the NCCA’s YouTube channel, one will notice that the program ends with the hosts’ closing spiel, “Maraming salamat sa pagtututok sa aming programang nagbibigay ng kaalaman, kasiyahan at inspirasyon. Ito ang Padayaon The NCCA Hour. Sulong na!”
The hosts then quickly salute, and then stop their hand mid-air for a second and transition to a wave-bidding goodbye before the closing credits roll.
Watch one of Padayon: The NCCA Hour videos here:
Banner image and thumbnail photo by Ramon FVelasquez via commons.wikimedia.org
