On the BBC’s Harry & Paul Filipina Maid Scandal
I don’t understand why we’re raising hell for a comedic portrayal of a “Filipina maid” when for the longest time we’ve been portraying maids, house-helpers, yayas and countless Indays in our own comedy shows and movies the same way, even worse. I think we Filipinos are even worse at having our own stereotypes of foreign races and occupations. Imagine if all the Indians or the dark-skinned races raised howl over how many of us stereotype them.
The portrayal doesn’t even claim to be a the British’s general perception of Filipinos. It’s a comedy show for pete’s sake, with a comedic sketch of a perceived condition among Filipino domestic helpers. If there’s one to be faulted with such a sad reality, or a perception of it rather, it should be the proximate cause of the phenomenon–the government.
Even more disappointing is how the congresswoman from Akbayan is riding the issue to get mileage among domestic workers. Sa isang taon pa po ang eleksyon.
If we’re to raise hell, which I believe is not totally unjustified, we need to transcend mere demands for an apology from the BBC or from the British government. We must demand accountability from our own government for its failure to protect our domestic workers abroad, and for its failure to create jobs that has pushed so many Filipinos into such situations. I don’t think foreigners can be solely faulted for their perception of Filipino domestic workers. We can’t expect them to know any better. Let’s condemn the reality and its causes, not its mere manifestation in a comedy show!
And while we’re at it, let’s demand our own television networks and film producers not to portray domestic workers the same way. And stop forwarding Inday jokes. Treat your househelp better. ‘Wag pa-ipokrito.
Tags: BBC, comedy, domestic workers, maid, migrant workers
yeah ur right..isa lamang yung comedy show..hindi dapat sila lamang ang sisihin. Kaya naging ganun ang tingin ng ibang tao sa mga Pilipino’ng domestic helper ay dahil narin sa paraan ng pagtrato natin sa kanila. At kaya naman sila napilitang magibang bansa ay dahil sa kasalukuyang bulok na sistemang ginagalawan natin.
“Racist” is not the appropriate term to use.
The whole incident simply demonstrates the insensitivity of the British media over the plight of a migrant worker in a position of powerlessness.
The skit normalises and trivialises the Filipina maid - who she is, and what she does.
It is renders normal the treatment of the Filipina maid in such a manner.
It is trivial - her objectified role, its facticity (being a fact), is not questioned. The skit derives its humour from this fact - that the Filipina maid exists as sexualised object for the other characters (old, British men).
This is what I find objectionable.
hindi ibig sabihin na ginagawa natin dito sa bansa natin, ok lang na gawin din ng ibang tao satin… simpleng analogy lang yan, katulad lang din na ayaw ng mga magulang natin na pinapalo tayo ng iba pero ok lang na sila ang pumalo sa atin… huwag ding alisan ng accountability ang series na yun dahil lang sa nadidiscriminate din natin ang sarili nating mga kasambahay dito… hindi parin magiging tama yun….
hindi dapat tinotolerate yan…. kung ikaw ok lang sayo na ginaganyan ang kalahi mo sa ibang bansa at hindi ka magrereact, wala ka nang pinagkaiba sa mga ipokrito na sinasabi mong dapat magbago….
think about it…
we could have just laugh it off at hindi pinalaki ang issue…
i think hindi sa pagiging inday o helper ‘yon. kung legal kasi baka dancer pala. marami kasing nakakakuha ng pekeng certificates katulad doon sa nasabi sa desperate housewives. ang nangyayari kasi, ‘kapag galing sa pinas malamang eh…peke.’ ‘yon ang nagiging imahe natin sa mundo. masakit pero minsan totoo.
Ok everyone’s a racist joker, but we never go down making fun of women of other countries. That’s non-negotiable foul. Maybe, just maybe you’re desensitized with this thing already. That makes me more disappointed.
you criticize akbayan for taking the cudgels for us?
ako rin, i can’t believe this. Medyo malabo sa akin na pupunahin mo yung grupo na nagtatanggol sa dangal natin.
Comedy show lang yan ???? Comedy is media and has great power to influence opinions. It can enlighten and mislead. Palagay ko sa dalawang pagpipilian - mislead and ginawa nito.
Million ang nanunuod nito sa TV, yung ilan dyan yung mga amo ng domestic helpers natin sa UK. Eh papano kung merong kubabawan ng demonyo sa mga nakapanood nito.
Pre, some things are apparent to me:
1st …. you are not a domestic helper.
2nd …. you probably work here sa pinas with your family
3rd ….. galit ka sa gobyerno kasi parang sila ang mas sinisisi mo kesa sa BBC sa paglabas ng komedyang ito ??????
Marami rin akong hinanakit sa gobyerno natin, pero palagay ko hindi nila inutusan ang BBC na insultuhin ang kababaihan natin.
You say you don’t understand ???? OK lang yun.
Just try to understand those who were hurt and disturbed by this. Also try to understand your countrymen who sympathized with the aggrieved ones.
Wag mo na lang masyado birahin yung mga nasaktan at nagalit.
Ay …. pahabol.
Please don’t call us hipocrites.
Masyadong mataas ang antas ng pagka-intelektwal mo kaya siguro nakalimot ka na marami sa ating pilipino ay simple lamang at mayroon pa ring damdamin na madali masaktan.
Lalo na kung ang kababaihan natin ang sinasaktan.