Controversial episode of BBC's Harry and Paul against Filipina maid

Embassy downplays BBC 'racist' issue against OFW
MARK MERUEÑAS, GMANews.TV (watch the episode part after the article)
10/07/2008 | 05:20 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The British Broadcasting Corp’s (BBC) alleged “racist" portrayal of a Filipino worker should not sever the British government’s ties with the Philippines, the British Embassy said Tuesday.
In a statement, the British government said it was respecting the freedom of expression of BBC, which aired last September 26 an episode of its comedy show “Harry and Paul" with a segment that was perceived as a racial attack on Filipino domestic helpers.
However, it said that the image of a domestic worker as portrayed in the show does not reflect the views and opinion of its government on Filipinos.
“The BBC has editorial independence, and views expressed/portrayed by the BBC are completely independent from those of the UK government," the British Embassy said.
The British Embassy also stressed the contributions that Filipinos - living or working in the United Kingdom - have contributed to their culture, sciences, and workforce.
“Filipinos in the UK are an important part of British society, making invaluable contributions to our scientific and service sectors, and enriching UK culture," it said.
In fact, former Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister Meg Munn had spent time with the Filipino communities in UK to recognize their role in the British society.
British Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Beckingham is set to fly for the United Kingdom in March 2009 to attend a conference. He said he would use the opportunity to also meet and continue dialogues with the Filipino communities there.
“It demonstrates that we have a great deal of respect, interest and concern for the Filipino communities in Great Britain," he told reporters.
The statement came after Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to lodge a complaint against the British government and demand an apology from the BBC.
Beckingham said that the comedy show was not a government program and thus an apology should not come from government officials but from the network and the show’s producers.
“I think the apology probably correctly should come from the people who produced it," the ambassador said.
In the controversial clip that has been circulating over the Internet, especially via video-sharing website YouTube, a woman playing the character of a Filipina housemaid is seen gyrating in front of her British employer’s friend.
The Philippine Embassy in the United Kingdom has already sent letters of complaint to different British government offices, including the UK regulatory industry, the Mayor of London, and the BBC itself.
The Philippine Embassy has also already shored up “concerted efforts" from the Filipino communities to denounce the portrayal by holding silent protests and vigils.
Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) had said in a statement that the comedy show’s portrayal was a “painful reminder" of the plight of Filipino migrant workers, who face racism, discrimination, and sexual harassment in their work places abroad.
For his part, Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez partly blamed some groups for the incident because their public criticisms could have “encouraged" foreigners to make fun of Filipinos.
Gonzalez however said he would gladly join groups protesting the “racial" representation of a Filipina domestic helper.
Last year, a scene in the ABC television hit series “Desperate Housewives" that put into question the credibility of medical education in the Philippines elicited angry remarks from Filipinos, and later on amassed thousands of signatures through an online petition.
Asked if the British government is prepared if ever the latest alleged “racial" slur on Filipinos triggers an outcry through online petitions or hate mails, Beckingham said, “That’s fine." - GMANews.TV

Watch the Episode part

Imagine a world without Filipinos

By: Abdullah Al-Maghlooth (Arab News. 16 Jun 2008)

(One of my friend shared this article to me, and i want to share it with you.)

Muhammad Al-Maghrabi became handicapped and shut down his flower and gifts shop business in Jeddah after his Filipino workers insisted on leaving and returning home. He says: “When they left, I felt as if I had lost my arms. I was so sad that I lost my appetite.”
Al-Maghrabi then flew to Manila to look for two other Filipino workers to replace the ones who had left. Previously, he had tried workers of different nationalities but they did not impress him. “There is no comparison between Filipinos and others,” he says. Whenever I see Filipinos working in the Kingdom, I wonder what our life would be without them.
Saudi Arabia has the largest number of Filipino workers — 1,019,577 — outside the Philippines. In 2006 alone, the Kingdom recruited more than 223,000 workers from the Philippines and their numbers are still increasing. Filipinos not only play an important and effective role in the Kingdom, they also perform different jobs in countries across the world, including working as sailors. They are known for their professionalism and the quality of their work.
Nobody here can think of a life without Filipinos, who make up around 20 percent of the world’s seafarers. There are 1.2 million Filipino sailors.
So if Filipinos decided one day to stop working or go on strike for any reason, who would transport oil, food and heavy equipment across the world? We can only imagine the disaster that would happen.
What makes Filipinos unique is their ability to speak very good English and the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. There are several specialized training institutes in the Philippines, including those specializing in engineering and road maintenance. This training background makes them highly competent in these vital areas.
When speaking about the Philippines, we should not forget Filipino nurses. They are some 23 percent of the world’s total number of nurses. The Philippines is home to over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutes, from which some 9,000 nurses graduate each year. Many of them work abroad in countries such as the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Singapore.
Cathy Ann, a 35-year-old Filipino nurse who has been working in the Kingdom for the last five years and before that in Singapore, said she does not feel homesick abroad because “I am surrounded by my compatriots everywhere.” Ann thinks that early training allows Filipinos to excel in nursing and other vocations. She started learning this profession at the age of four as her aunt, a nurse, used to take her to hospital and ask her to watch the work. “She used to kiss me whenever I learned a new thing. At the age of 11, I could do a lot. I began doing things like measuring my grandfather’s blood pressure and giving my mother her insulin injections,” she said.
This type of early education system is lacking in the Kingdom. Many of our children reach the university stage without learning anything except boredom.
The Philippines, which you can barely see on the map, is a very effective country thanks to its people. It has the ability to influence the entire world economy.
We should pay respect to Filipino workers, not only by employing them but also by learning from their valuable experiences.
We should learn and educate our children on how to operate and maintain ships and oil tankers, as well as planning and nursing and how to achieve perfection in our work. This is a must so that we do not become like Muhammad Al-Maghrabi who lost his interest and appetite when Filipino workers left his flower shop.
We have to remember that we are very much dependent on the Filipinos around us. We could die a slow death if they chose to leave us.

PANALANGIN PARA SA NASALANTA AT NASAWI NG BAGYONG FRANK sa PILIPINAS

Panginoong Makapangyarihan at Lumikha, Lumalapit po Kami sa Inyo bilang Inyong Mga Anak, na Kahit Kami ay makasalanan, Alam po Namin na Kami ay Inyong Papakinggan. Ipinagdarasal po namin sa Inyo ang mga Kaluluwa ng aming mga Kababayang sumakabilang buhay dahil sa bagyong Frank. Harinawa’y Sila ay Inyong napatawad sa kanilang mga kasalanang nagawa, At patuluyin Mo po Sila sa Inyong Kaharian. Inilalapit din po Namin ang kaluluwa ng mga Kamag-anak ng Nasawi at nasalanta ng trahedyang ito na sana’y matanggap nila ng maluwag sa kanilang sarili ang nangyari, sa kanilang mga kamag-anak at kaibigan. Panginoon alam po namin na Kayo lamang ang nakakaalam ng mangyayari sa Aming Buhay kaya Sa Inyo ay Inihahabilin Namin ang Aming mga Kaluluwa. Nagpapasalamat po kami sa aming mga Kababayang nasalanta at nakaligtas ng nagdaang bagyo dahil Sila ay hindi Mo Pinabayaan. Nawa’y mabilis Silang makabangon sa hirap na kanilang pinagdaraan ngayon, ng sa ganoon makapamuhay Sila ng Maayos ng Naaayon sa Inyong Kalooban. Sa Pangalan ni Hesus Kami ay Lumalapit sa Iyo Panginoon. Amen

Sunshine Cruz, pormal ng sinampahan ng kasong libel ang kapatid ni Cesar Montano na si Maria Mercedez Hamilton, dahil daw sa mga paninirang paratang!

Pormal ng Sinampahan ni Sunshine Cruz ng kasong libelo ang kapatid ni Cesar Montano na si Maria Mercedez Hamilton o Ched, dahil umano sa mga paninirang paratang nito laban sa Mrs. ni Cesar Montano.
Ayon sa pakikipanayam ng Showbiz Central kay Sunshine sinabi nito na Nanahimik naman sya for the past nine years "Siguro napuno lang ako, lahat naman ng tao may hangganan". Pero nilinaw nito ang isyung hindi ang annulment laban kay Cesar ang isinampa nito sa husgado. " I just wan't to correct, nooo.. , kaya nga nagulat ako, this is about the libel case not the annulment, I want to clear, my fight is not against Cesar". Ayon pa sa aktress, pinipilit nya na sa panahong ganito dapat may masasandalan sya pero para sa kanyang sarili, wala daw syang maramdaman.

Ched, nagsalita na upang ibigay ang panig sa usaping ito
Nagsalita narin ang kapatid ni Cesar na si Ched sa pamamagitan ng kapanayam sa telepono upang ibigay naman ang kanyang panig sa usaping ito. " I was only informed by my relatives, ok lan yun, that's her prerogative, kung yun ang iniisip nya, it's up to her, my father was a lawyer and i'm not knew to this kind of thing. I will deal with it in due time.... But until then I have to go on my life." Mariin din nyang itinanggi na sya ang nasa likuran ng paninira kay Sunshine na kumakalat sa internet. " No, That's a big lie. I don't remenber mentioning her in my account. And may mga lumalabas daw na may blogspot daw na meron akong blogspot, But i don't have any blogspot." sabi pa nito. Ang isa daw sa tunay na dahilan ng kanilang gap ni Sunshine ay tungkol sa ina nila ni Cesar. " It started in the year 2004, hindi niya gusto yung presence ng mother ko doon. You know I have a paralyzed mom, staying with them in case of emergency madali syang maitatakbo sa ospital." ayon pa dito. "I just got quiet about that kasi ayoko namang magkaroon ng heart feelings at samaan ng loob. Hindi ko yan inopen sa kanya i just kept quiet about it." dagdag pa nito.

Cesar Montano, nagsalita na rin tungkol sa isyu

Sa pamamagita ng Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) Website. nagsalita na rin ang aktor na si Cesar Montano tungkol sa isyu. "Kaya naman ako nanahimik muna dahil ang stand ko riyan sa umpisa pa lang, family problem 'yan, na kami-kami lang talaga ang dapat mag-solve, Hangga't maaari, hindi na ito malaman pa ng ibang tao." ayon sa aktor. Sa usaping pinalayas daw ni Sunshine ang nanay ni Cesar sinabi nitong hindi nya mapapayagang umabot sa ganoong bagay at hindi naman daw ganun ang trato ni Shine sa nanay nya. " Alam kong hindi kailanman ganyan ang trato ni Shine sa nanay ko, to the point na palalayasin pa nya, Hindi ko rin papayagang mangyari yun. So, walang katotohanan 'yan." dagdag pa nito. Ayon sa aktor mababaw lang daw ang totoong dahilan ng pinagsimulan ng alitan ng kanyang kapatid at asawa. "Kung tutuusin misunderstanding lang yan sa pamilya, na kami-kami, kaya naming ayusin yan, kaso wala na naman gustong pa-areglo sa kanilang dalawa." sambit nito. Naiintindihan daw nya ang ginawang hakbang ng asawa laban sa kanyang kapatid, pero pinili pa rin nyang maging neutral na lang muna at sana ito ay maintindihan din ng kanyang mga fans, sinabi pa nyang "Mahirap ang sitwasyon ko, at sana maintindihan ako ng mga tao, na this is a family thing. Kaya hanggan't maaari tumatahimik ako. Walang magagawang mabuti ang pagsasalita ko ng kung anu-ano tungkol sa isyung 'yan, Pero kapag mayroon nang hindi totoo na nalagay sa alanganin ang asawa ko, natural lang na depensahan ko sya."

" GMA PINOY TV NOW IN EUROPE! "

Friday, June 6, 2008

GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, DZBB and DWLS are now available in Europe through Orbit Communications.

Please tell your relatives and friends in Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Farce Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City

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Musta na mga dabarkads!
Saang panig ng mundo ka man naroroon, invited ka to join our barkadahan..no age limit, just full pinoy fun...
Halika na and meet our other friends from around the world!