… and you are definitely one if you got offended after reading this post’s headline. The truth is that this is one of the biggest differences between Filipinos and other nationalities. This is one of the things I realized in my latest trip to the U.S.
It is probably a culture thing, this oversensitivity of ours. Just like the U.S., the Philippines is a melting pot of different races. However, they are definitely better at handling criticism. There, you can easily yell at someone to turn the volume of his stereo down because it is way too loud. The other person will accept this objectively and respect your wishes for a quieter environment. In the Philippines on the other hand, you’d think twice before doing such a thing. What if that person gets offended? The paradox here is that by thinking twice we try to “respect” everyone else that we end up loosing respect for ourselves.
So it’s no big wonder to me when I heard news of Filipinos in the UK getting offended by a certain BBC comedy show. I grew up watching a lot of Monty Python, and this doesn’t even come close to how “racist” British humor can get. Ask the French, they should know. Or the Scots. Point is, we Filipinos tend to overreact on the smallest of things. Maybe the 300+ years under the rule of the Spanish, Japanese, and Americans made us more sensitive to these things some how. That, plus the fact that we are still riddled with seemingly uncurable social and domestic problems like corruption, pollution, overpopulation has engraved into our minds the feeling of inferiority. We are, after all, a third world country for almost half a century.
For the curious folk, below is a Youtube snip of the BBC video:
Here is the full ABS-CBN news article:
Filipinos in the United Kingdom condemned a BBC sketch comedy for airing a skit that is considered demeaning to Filipino domestic helpers.
The “Harry and Paul” show, aired over BBC on September 26, showed a Filipino domestic worker in a maid’s uniform dancing provocatively in front of a man in an attempt to seduce him.
According to the two title characters, the Filipina was following the wishes of a neighbor who wanted “their northerner” to “mate” with the “Filipina maid.”
Filipino leaders denounced the comedy act as racist and said it promotes sexual exploitation and demeans the image of Filipino domestic helpers.
Philippine Ambassador Edgardo Espiritu criticized the skit as “gutter humor.” He said the show counters the advocacy of the British government to observe equality for all and respect for human rights.
Filipino organizations have started mapping out plans for a protest action against BBC.
Loline Adelina Reed is leading an e-mail brigade to create awareness among Filipinos worldwide regarding the impact of the program to Filipino domestic workers.
Reed said the BBC should issue a public apology for the skit.
Other Filipinos in the UK said the BBC comedy scene was even worse than the script of an episode of the American TV series “Desperate Housewives”, which questioned the ability of Filipino medical graduates. Danny Buenafe and Mike Duque, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau