When Malu was axed because of Charlie...

When a People Asia Magazine article written by a certain Malu Fernandez wound its way from angry Overseas Filipino Workers to my Inbox, I immediately asked my friend Joey to google who the heck is this writer and where does she write. He just ignored it and instead laughed it off, saying this kind of writer is just seeking publicity and so paying attention to what she has written would just make her popular and happy. Our friend Robin volunteered to do the googling, and we all found out that the article, “From Boracay to Greece” has by then generated the ire of millions of OFWs around the world, particularly those who work in the Middle East, like me. Parts of that article are without question insulting, repulsive, and tastelessly and insensitively written.

The writer had insisted, though, that her article was meant to be humorous. Yes, it may be humorous to a reader who, like the author, thinks of OFWs as some species the Philippines should be ashamed of. When I read it, I understood her intent to be humorous, but I thought she tried so hard she figured maligning others was still funny. She’s a writer and so she should know what political correctness is. I thought all writers/ journalists are broadminded, but Fernandez’ views seemed to be myopic and confined only in that social class where she’s from. She forgot that as a journalist, she can write anything as humorously as she wants, but she also has to be responsible in doing so. From her article, these are what earned the wrath of the OFWs:

• However I forgot that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them.
• While I was on the plane (where the seats were so small I had bruises on my legs), my only consolation was the entertainment on the small flat screen in front of me. But it was busted, so I heaved a sigh, popped my sleeping pills and dozed off to the sounds of gum chewing and endless yelling of “Hoy! Kumusta ka na? At taga saan ka? Domestic helper ka rin ba?” Translation: “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?” I thought I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell.
• On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while my Jo Malone evaporated into thin air.
  
  

Now tell me if anything there was purely humorous and not offensive. Where is being responsible if a writer pens something like that? I don’t use AXE or Charlie but I don’t think I should be mocked if I did. I was not in that plane but if I were and I sensed that Malu wanted to slash her wrist because she’s trapped with an OFW like me, I probably would have saved her from agony and would have slit her wrist myself. That bitch would learn her lesson later in hell where she will be roasted like a pig. But nah, I wouldn’t do that. I just said it tongue-in-cheek, didn’t I?

If Malu was able to say that of OFW’s who sacrifice a lot to earn decent money, what could she say of the bedraggled barbecue and cigarette and sampaguita vendors in the streets of Philippines, who also try to earn decent money and I’m sure could barely afford to spray themselves with AXE or Charlie?

Her article which tried to be “sosyal” by dropping brands and labels and names reminded me of the famous blogger Bryanboy. I thought if it was Bryanboy who said in his blog what Malu said in People Asia, I would have understood it. A blog is a blog and is as free as it could possibly get anyway, but print media should be far more responsible. But lo and behold, Bryanboy even chastised Malu Fernandez, saying “I am MOVED every time I am on a flight with OFWs. I am reminded of their resilience. Of how hard they work, and how they keep the Philippines going. The economy relies on their bravery. You should have slit your wrists, hon.” Well, what can I say? I love Bryanboy I’m ready to post my Bryanboy-pose photo in his website.

Bombarded by protests and blogs and hate mails, Malu even refused to apologize at first. Mockery and insult and self-adulation might be in her blood, for after she’s been inundated with protests and hate mails, she even said that if OFW’s read anything thicker than People Asia Magazine, they would have found her article humorous. “Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabees. One group will never get the culture of the other,” she added.

But the protests would be too much to bear. On 23rd August, my friend Joey told me TV Patrol carried a news item that Malu Gonzales resigned from Manila Standard and had issued a letter of apology. My friend, who earlier refused to pay attention to the controversial article, saying that it would only make Malu more popular, recognized the power of internet/ email communication in this issue. But more than that, I said it’s the power of the people’s resolve to fight bigotry and prejudice and injustice. If the people concerned had reacted the same way as he first did, Malu would have gotten away with it and continue to malign people anytime she wished.

To quote Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”