Former PBA player Mark “MacMac” Cardona has drawn widespread criticism after making an “aqua training” joke while filming himself in floodwaters in Quezon City—a remark that came amid continued public attention surrounding the deaths of two Ateneo student-athletes in a June drowning tragedy.
Cardona posted a video on Monday, August 17, showing himself wading through floodwaters along Gregorio Araneta Avenue during heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat. In the post, he tagged former Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin and wrote: “Coach Tab, dapat dito kayo nag-aqua training,” followed by a statement that it was only a joke and “for content.”
The reference immediately drew criticism because of its connection to the June 8 drowning deaths of Ateneo basketball players Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. Philippine News Agency and Philippine Daily Inquirer previously reported that the two Ateneo players died during the activity, while Ateneo confirmed the deaths and said it was supporting the families and members of the university community affected by the tragedy.
The incident has remained the subject of scrutiny and official inquiries. Reporting by the Philippine Daily Inquirer noted that investigators were examining questions surrounding the circumstances and timeline of the deaths, including discrepancies raised during a Senate hearing. Ateneo has also publicly addressed its response to the tragedy and reiterated that it continues to mourn Baterbonia and Adili.
Why Cardona’s post triggered backlash
Journalist and “Go Hard Girls” podcast founder Ceej Tantengco-Malolos was among those who publicly criticized Cardona’s post, describing the reference to the Ateneo tragedy as a new low.
Her criticism also highlighted that Cardona remains involved in Philippine basketball despite his playing career, including an assistant coaching role in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
The backlash centered not simply on the flood video itself, but on the timing and wording of the joke. The phrase “aqua training” directly evoked the water-related activity associated with the Ateneo team-building incident, making the post particularly sensitive while questions surrounding the tragedy remain unresolved.
Cardona eventually apologizes
Cardona responded to the backlash on Tuesday, August 18, issuing an apology directly to Baldwin.
“I’m so sorry Coach Tab! Dapat hindi ako nagbibiro ng ganun,” Cardona wrote, expressing regret over the remark.
He also said he would accept whatever judgment people had of him and indicated that he wanted to move forward.
The apology came after the controversy had already spread across Philippine basketball and social media, turning what Cardona described as content into a broader discussion about accountability, sensitivity and responsible behavior among sports personalities.
The controversy also comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Ateneo community. Baterbonia and Adili’s deaths continue to resonate with their families, teammates and supporters, while questions surrounding the circumstances of the June 8 incident have generated investigations and public scrutiny.
For many observers, the controversy is therefore bigger than one social-media post: it has reopened conversations about how public figures use tragedies involving athletes for humor or online engagement—and where the line should be drawn when “content” touches an unresolved loss.
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