Friday, October 10, 2008 Online petition launched vs racial slur
FILIPINOS in the United Kingdom (UK) have launched an online petition to protest the airing of a comedy show on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) channel, which indicates "racism" and "exploitation" among Filipino domestic workers.
"The Filipino community in the United Kingdom hereby condemns the BBC and the 'Harry and Paul' comedy show for their tactless and insensitive behavior and for inciting stereo-typed racial discrimination, vulgarity and violation of the maid's human rights. The show demeaned the dignity of honest labor while promoting the sex industry, domestic abuse, and maltreatment of the blue-collar worker that effectively sustains this economy," said the petition.
It added that while noting that the BBC show did post warning that the contents of the comedy skit "maybe of an offensive nature," the mere fact that it specifically mention and made fun of a Filipino maid "was tantamount to racism and worst sexual abuse and exploitation of the hapless young Filipina domestic worker employee."
Michael Duque, a nurse in the UK, said although they are grateful of the opportunity to work and live in the UK, Filipinos also have contributed largely to the various sector of the host country's economy.
Duque said Filipinos in the UK now reach over 150,000.
He also pointed out that Filipinos in the UK were able to find top level jobs in the host country since "we now have workers in the information technology (IT), aviation, education, hospitality sector (hotels, restaurants and casinos) and healthcare, chefs, and house managers."
"Increasingly, Filipinos have been recruited to the UK in significant numbers. Over the past five years, thousands have been recruited for the hospitality and healthcare sectors," the petition added.
In the past eight years, more than 45,000 Filipinos were recruited into the health service, most of whom are nurses serving in the National Health Service.
About 65 percent of Filipinos are nurses and/or in the allied medical fields and only 10 percent are in domestic service while about five percent are entrepreneurs.
At least 10 to 20 percent of the second generation youths have gone to universities in the UK and some of them are even recruited to work as models, actresses, or musicians.
"As the UK government promotes equality and human rights of the people who live here now, the Harry and Paul Show and BBC have shown that they have failed to do the same. We all wish this country well and are trying our best to be accepted as a part of this great nation. It is also part of our culture to respect women highly. Episode 4 of the show dishonored our culture and our women and our workers. We are truly sad about that," the petitioners declared.
Last year, Filipino doctors and nurses condemned actress Teri Hatcher, star of "Desperate Housewives," and asked its producer for public apology after insulting Philippine medical schools in one of their episode.
So far, the online petition titled "Dignity and Respect for the Filipino Worker" can be accessed by logging on to http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/dignity-and-respect-for-the-filipino-worker.html.
It has gathered over 1,500 signatures from various Filipino communities overseas, such as the Middle East, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.
The online petition will then be presented to the UK government and BBC for proper action.
Meanwhile, a church official asked Filipinos not to waste time on watching "garbage" shows.
Fr. Edwin Corros, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerants (ECMI) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said that by watching the Harry and Paul show and creating noise about it, "we are encouraging more curiosity and this cause further promotion of the show."
"Just stop watching it. Why do they have to watch that garbage?" he said.
According to him, reacting negatively to the Harry and Paul show that aired the blatant racist act among the Filipino service workers only proves insecurity.
"For me, the matter is so petty. For others who may not be so secure of their identity even for the national identity, then most likely they will be completely affected. I don't think Filipinos are really like that," he added.
Instead of being angry, Corros said: "We should find ways and solutions to prove that these perceptions among Filipinos are incorrect."
"So for as long as you're secure and you are not doing it ... we don't even have to correct those people. We simply have to prove to them that it is not true and how we could prove that would take a little bit of time probably," he added. (MSN/Sunnex)
