MANILA — Angelica Panganiban came to the defense of her co-star and close friend Angel Locsin on Sunday, after the latter became the subject of an Occidental Mindoro education module that called her “obese.”

In a photo of the module that circulated online over the weekend, Locsin was used as an example in the physical education portion, describing her as “obese” with mention of her supposed activities, including eating “fatty food” and “watching television at home.”

As the photo went viral on social media, Panganiban was among the celebrities who called out the body shaming in a material meant for students.

“I don’t think nakaupo lang si Angel sa bahay niya at nanonood ng TV,” Panganiban wrote in a comment on a report from news website Rappler.

“Busyng busy po siya tumulong sa mga nasalanta. Bakit hindi kayo dun mag focus? Sa kabutihan ng isang tao, lalo na ng kalooban niya.”

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A post shared by Angel Locsin (@therealangellocsin)

Panganiban was referring to Locsin spearheading relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Ulysses and prior disasters. Locsin has reaped international recognition for her civic work. Notably she was included in Forbes Asia’s list of “Heroes of Philanthropy” and Tatler Asia’s “Leaders of Tomorrow.”

• Angel Locsin among Asia’s ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ in Tatler’s Gen T list

The Department of Education office in Occidental Mindoro on Sunday issued an apology for the content of the module, saying it did not go through the quality assurance procedure of its central office.

• DepEd nag-sorry sa pag-'body shame' kay Angel Locsin

It added that it “does not tolerate nor condone any act of body shaming, ad hominem or any similar act of bullying both in the physical and virtual environments.”

Locsin, in her response to the statement, urged an apology from the teacher behind the module, specifically to students whom she said were instead taught “bad conduct” and “discrimination,” as opposed to the values expected from the education system.

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