This is in response to Butch Francisco's article on the ABS-CBNnews.com website (below the article is my response):
There are actually a lot of ways the producers of Desperate Housewives can do to appease the hurt they inflicted on us Filipinos in that series. If they don’t bother to come up with something better than that apology, well — with the huge population of Filipinos spread all over America — there are also a lot of other means for us to get even. In time, maybe they’ll be asking for our forgiveness — desperately.
The apology issued by the producers of Desperate Housewives after airing that offensive remark uttered by Teri Hatcher’s character (Susan Myers) against Filipino medical practitioners in its new season pilot episode is unacceptable.
That line from the Hatcher dialogue, after all, is very damaging and is totally unfair to Filipino doctors, nurses and other professionals in the medical field who spent years studying in some of the best schools in the country.
While we may have had the embarrassing nurses’ board exam scandal last year, I still have faith in the integrity and professionalism of our medical practitioners. What else do these Americans want? Our doctors even take up nursing courses before flying to the US to work. Of course, the idea there is to find work faster (since there is a more pressing need for nurses in the US) and, well, find an escape from those expensive medical lawsuits that Americans love to threaten their doctors with.
But what can the people behind Desperate Housewives do to appease Filipino doctors and us Filipinos as a whole? Maybe they could inject Filipino characters into the series and bring out the best traits in these people. Here are a few suggestions:
Marry off Gabrielle Solis’ character to a Filipino doctor. This character played by Eva Longoria, of course, just married the mayor, Victor Land, in the new season. But what’s another marriage in a TV drama?
Gabrielle may just discover for herself how dedicated a Filipino doctor is to his profession and to his family and how hard he worked and studied to be part of the medical field. In the early ‘60s, Filipino doctors and nurses were given working visas in a snap by the US embassy and were welcomed warmly and given ready employment in the US. After all those decades, they had proven their worth. Sure, we’ve had an Ann Arbor case involving Filipino nurses in 1975, but compared to all the good work our medical practitioners have done, they don’t deserve that insulting remark from some American TV series desperate for ratings.
But going back to Gabrielle, maybe the Filipino doctor-husband could also teach her some spirituality (Gabrielle is Catholic since she is of Hispanic origin). That should put an end to her lust for wealth and conceit.
Give Tom and Lynette Scavo (Doug Savant and Felicity Huffman), a Filipino nanny. Sure, we don’t want to underscore some more the fact that Filipinos are working as domestic helpers abroad, but that is reality. What we can do is prove to the world that we still have our dignity and that we can set the best example to children (especially the notorious Scavo kids). People working as domestic helpers abroad, after all, are educated. Maybe in the series, the Filipino nanny can help her wards with their assignments and teach them correct English.
Put a Filipino family in Wisteria Lane and be a shining example to their neighbors who sleep with one another, betray and even kill each other. For some strange reason, Filipino behavior changes abroad. He becomes law-abiding and even becomes a role model to others. This Filipino family could teach values and ethics to the rest of the community.
Marry Susan Myers (Hatcher) off to a Filipino medical practitioner. Susan could be eating her words after that disparaging remark against Filipino doctors.
The Filipino doctor could probably make her stop being so clumsy — if there’s a cure for that.
And since she’s forever lovesick anyway (which makes her character so annoying), Susan may finally find love and happiness in the arms of a Pinoy husband — the way other great international beauties did in the past. Ask Armi Kuusela. Ask Stella Marquez — she’s just somewhere in Cubao.
There are actually a lot of ways the producers of Desperate Housewives can do to appease the hurt they inflicted on us Filipinos in that series. If they don’t bother to come up with something better than that apology, well — with the huge population of Filipinos spread all over America — there are also a lot of other means for us to get even. In time, maybe they’ll be asking for our forgiveness — desperately.Enough already! Filipinos, please get the foot out of your mouth and get off of this pedestal you've put yourselves on and get a sense of humor...especially about yourselves.
Frankly, I'm tired of all this hullabaloo about boycotting and petitioning. Can we just pick up our bruised egos and laugh at ourselves a little? It was a joke, people. Lighten up.
I am a proud, Filipino-American man. While I am proud of the country I live and was born in, I am equally proud of my bloodlines to the Philippines. I’m proud to say that I speak the language and understand the culture. My bi-culturalism allows me to take the very best of both cultures and make them my own. I’m proud of Cristeta Comeford – executive chef of the White House, Jessica Hagedorn – acclaimed author and playwright, Monique Lhuillier – fashion designer, and Benjamin Cayetano – first governor of a US State of Filipino ancestry. I’m equally as proud of those Filipinos with no name recognition, the sea of nurses, teachers, factory workers, professionals and service people who come to this country and others to better themselves and their families all through the proper channels.
But, I am also saddened by the non-traditionalist Filipinos by necessity. These are the women that claim to be the coy, demure Filipina, but wear the micro-mini skirts and the cropped tops bouncing around Manila claiming modest, but exclaiming otherwise by appearance alone. These are the people who deny their Filipino features by bleaching their hair blond, popping in the blue contact lenses, visiting the Dr. Belo’s to straighten out the flat noses, and lighten the dark skin all in an attempt to appear less Filipino. But, as soon as something quasi-derrogatory is said about the Filipino, gasps and finger-pointing abound. How dare you? How dare you? Not the Filipino! Not MY people.
Let’s be honest, Desperate Housewives is a fictitious story about fictitious women in a fictitious housing tract doing fictitious things. It’s a story. It’s MAKE BELIEVE! First off, let’s get off of Terri Hatcher. She’s an actress reading a line. Leave her alone.
That now-infamous line about the diplomas was written for her by a writer who probably heard about the Philippine nursing exam scandal so the joke was not only timely it mimicked the truth. And so what? They could have said the line and inserted any second or third world nation in there in place of the Philippines and it would have the same derogation. I would be more offended and alarmed if a presidential candidate or someone of true authority said the same line.
Not all Filipinos demand an apology and retraction. Who are we if we cannot laugh at ourselves? This press for an apology does nothing more than shed light on the fact that there are fictitious documents out there produced by the Philippines. I’ve seen them myself. Keeping it hush-hush does not stop it from happening. Instead of the Filipino leadership demanding an apology, they should be focusing her attention on eliminating the insinuation.
A lot has been said about Filipinos being portrayed positively in the American media. There are quite a few people to take after. But again, look at the role models – corrupt leadership, gross materialism, illegal immigrants, an education system that doesn’t benefit the people directly. So what do you get? You get people who will do whatever they can to get out of a country that does nothing for them. Most go by legitimate means, proper education, sponsorship, and migration. Others, decide on an “easy” way…and that’s where you get the Desperate Housewives statement.
The way I see it, Desperate Housewives was just the messenger. The message comes directly from the Filipino people. Some of us just don’t have the nerve to look at ourselves in the mirror and see the flaws.
