Tony Dizon, the teacher who went viral after providing an incorrect answer during a trivia game segment on the noontime show It’s Showtime, has addressed the wave of criticism directed at him. Dizon, who shared his academic accomplishments before answering the question, apologized to those who felt he came across as boastful.
In a video posted on his Facebook page, Dizon expressed surprise at how things unfolded during the segment, where he mistakenly answered that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the first female president of the Philippines, instead of Corazon Aquino.
“I really made a huge mistake,” Dizon said. “Nagulat ako sa sarili ko, ‘Why did you answer that?'”
Dizon shared that he is aware of the criticisms and negative comments he has received but is determined to handle them with grace. “I have to accept every criticism, every negative comment,” he acknowledged.
Reflecting on the pressure of being in the spotlight, Dizon explained that the environment can affect one’s ability to think clearly. “A lot of people know that once andoon ka sa gitna ng stage na ‘yun, mapepressure ka talaga. You just have to answer (in) five seconds,” he said.
He urged the public to put themselves in his shoes, saying, “Sana naisip ninyo na ‘What if you are in that position?’ Yeah, that’s a very basic question, but dumadaloy sa ’yo ‘yung pressure, so hindi ka makakasagot talaga.”
Despite the incident, Dizon vowed to continue improving himself. “I will continue learning. I will continue working and researching,” he said, emphasizing that one mistake does not define a person.
Dizon also took the opportunity to apologize to those who felt he was showing off his achievements. “If my achievements may have come across as bragging, I apologize. I’m only proud because the path was harder than most will ever know,” he explained, adding that growth is a continuous process.
In another post, he reminded everyone that making mistakes is part of being human. “Mistakes remind us that we are still human but those setbacks don’t define who we are,” he said, encouraging others not to fear failure but to learn and grow from it.
The viral incident occurred during the show’s Throwbox! segment on September 19, where Dizon, who is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership and has been teaching for eight years, became the subject of ridicule after his wrong answer. Before the trivia question, he had also mentioned his representation of the Philippines at a research conference in South Korea.
Dizon concluded by saying, “We cannot control what others say about us, but we can control how we respond,” emphasizing the importance of resilience in the face of criticism.