Ok na sana, may miss lang! (It would have been okay, but for Mai Mislang)

Many welcome PNoy's push for the use of social networking sites in governance. After all, Filipinos are early adopters. But I'm sure nobody foresaw the diplomatic faux pas that can ensue from over confident government underlings.

Definitely, Mai Mislang was out of bounds when she tweeted her displeasure about the wine served at the state dinner. Her tweet about the crossing Vietnam's streets as the surest way to day can be forgiven for it could have reflected more on her non-ability to properly cross a street. Her tweet about 'walang pogi dito' was in Tagalog. It might not immediately offend the Vietnamese as they can counter - maganda ka ba? - 'Bạn nghĩ bạn là đẹp? '

I doubt that the Vietnamese would have noticed her tweets if not Filipinos had pointed them out first. Who among the Vietnamese follow her anyway? But trust some Filipinos' ability to find ways to denigrate a countryman. Much more so if she works for PNoy.

Mai Mislang has since deleted the offensive tweets. She has even deleted her account. Even her Facebook account is deactivated, at the least. She has apologized. She has learned her lesson the hard way. Her immediate boss, Ricky Carandang, has swept the matter under the rug. Vietnam didn't mind the tweets at all.

It is the social networking people who are quick to pounce on PNoy and his team. Not long after Mai's apology, a bogus Facebook account surfaced. If this gathers critical mass, Mai will be back to singing the blues in no time.