HUMOR is one of the traits Filipinos must be proud of. Instead of dwelling too much on their problems and struggles, they are known for laughing them off and focusing on the positive side of life. Aside from that, they frequently crack jokes with the people around them, allowing them to get closer to each other. Jokes are meant to be funny, but what’s the case if it offends the other party or worse, puts them at risk?

April Fool’s Day is celebrated worldwide every April 1st when people would pull pranks and jokes on one another for laughs. Despite this annual custom, a person must know their limitations because some may take them literally, especially when it is a serious matter.  One of the most commonly used pranks people engage in is pretending to have chronic illnesses. This joke allows the other person to sense the feeling of nervousness that leads the prankster to be satisfied because they successfully tricked them. However, these are not taken lightly since they are sensitive topics for most people who have been going through them for a long time. In line with this, the Department of Health (DOH) released a statement last Mar. 31 and reminded the public to avoid making jokes or pranks that are related to death and various types of illnesses. 

Just recently, there was a controversial topic that arose during the April Fool’s Day between a Takoyaki business, Taragis, and a citizen. In a now-deleted post, they encouraged their audience to tattoo their logo on their forehead, and the first person to send proof will immediately receive P100,000.00 as a reward with an “April Fools” located at the bottom of the said post. It may seem like a joke to many, but the situation turned upside down when a civilian posted their photo with an actual tattoo on their forehead. Because of this, netizens demanded the business to give the man the promised reward, but Taragis released a statement on their official Facebook page that they are “not accountable for the events that occurred.” 

There is a rampant amount of media disinformation as people around the world began taking advantage of April Fool’s Day to trick others. As a result, it has become significantly challenging for others to differentiate real news from fake news, especially every April 1st. Therefore, everyone must stay informed with recent trends and news that are going around, and not easily trust what we see online. 

Not everyone is privileged enough to be knowledgeable about the existence of April Fool’s Day. People who upload such posts are liable enough for their actions. Since we are now living in a technologically advanced era, we have to remember that with just one click, a post that we intend to be a “joke” can create numerous serious problems depending on how people take it. The essence of pulling jokes and pranks is to make the other party laugh—not insult and make fun of others’ weaknesses and pains—so everyone is responsible for whatever the outcome of their actions.