Society columnist quits over OFW bashing

Complaints sent via the Internet and through othery types of media led a Manila-based society columnist to resign from her job following her negative comments about overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau reported Thursday.

Bureau chief Dindo Amparo reported that Filipinos in the Middle East proved they can make a difference by uniting for a cause against columnist Malu Fernandez.
In her column titled "From Boracay to Greece," which saw print on "People Asia" magazine, Fernandez detailed her unusual and spur of the moment Holy Week vacation in Greece.

Fernandez said that following a friend's advice, she flew on economy class to Greece. The plane made a stopover in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. It was her written observations during the flight and while in the city that got Fernandez in trouble.
“I forget that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of OFWs were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them,” she wrote.

Fernandez said this was aggravated when one of her fellow passengers spoke to her and said, “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?"
The columnist went further by insinuating that due to the large number of OFWs in the plane wearing cheap perfumes, the expensive brand she had on immediately evaporated into thin air.

“I had resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while my Jo Malone evaporated into thin air,” Fernandez said.
Based on prices from the Jo Malone Web site, a 100 ml bottle of cologne ranges from 30-59 British pounds (around 2,800-5,500 Philippine pesos).

Who's the diva?
Fernandez's statements spread like wildfire on the Internet and earned the ire of communities of Filipino workers abroad, especially in the Middle East.
The migrant workers immediately issued statements and sent e-mails to blogs expressing their anger against Fernandez.

The statements can be found at this special blog (http://selvo.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/mahaderang-matapobre-sa-ofws/#comment-1042).

To make matters worse, Fernandez wrote in her succeeding column in the "Manila Standard Today" that she was only being true to herself.
"Many people often find my direct attitude to be rude or obnoxious. I really don't mean to be anything but true to myself," she said.

"Now, I seriously ask you, am I being a diva or are people around me just lacking in common sense? Perhaps it's a little of both!" she added.
Her statements further enraged the Filipino workers. She later apologized.

“I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world,” Fernandez said in her latest statement on the online version of Manila Standard Today.

She added: “I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked.
It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.”

Fernandez admitted being insensitive and offensive, as she apologized to the OFWs for whatever she had written.

Sought for an interview by ABS-CBN, Fernandez declined.

She, however, sent a letter, saying, "I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.”

Not yet finished
Meanwhile, abs-cbnNEWS.com received dozens of feedback e-mails against Fernandez after news broke out about her anti-OFW statements.

“We are already having a hard time here working under the hot climate, then we get a strong below the belt blow by our own kabayan who has totally no idea on being an OFW,” Francis Sangalang wrote from Dubai.

Another OFW, who declined to be named, said: “I seldom come across articles that bring my blood pressure up to a record high. This article by Malu Fernandez has led me to set a new personal record. To say that this is ‘nakakakunsumi’ (troubling) is an understatement of the highest degree.”

The special blog was also created to compile comments against Fernandez. The comments ranged from defending her column as being about perfumes to to downright below the belt statements.

Contract worker Florencio Laron wrote from Saudi Arabia and said, "All I have to say is that may breeding siya (masama nga lang) (only, it's bad) and she [doesn’t] deserve to be a Filipino.”

An anonymous e-mail sender, meanwhile, said, “Her side comments were uncalled for. She should have kept them to herself. This is bigotry at its purest. What’s worst is she did it to her fellow Filipinos. The bad part is her pathetic attempt to justify what she wrote.”

Information from the Web site of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said a total of 462,545 OFWs or 58 percent of the total number of Filipinos employed abroad were in the Middle East as of last year.

Last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said OFWs sent a total of US$12.6 billion in remittances to their families in the Philippines.

Malu Fernandez's Top 10

The following quotes are from Malu Fernandez’s articles in Manila Standard Today.












1) Call me whatever you like but when you are trapped in economy class that is filled to the brim with migrant workers the smell gets a little funky after nine hours of flying.

2) Every woman can be her own beauty artist and realize simply and in a funny way a perfect make up as professionals.

3) Don’t stress out if you can’t find seating. Chill out and be cool. You can always talk standing up. Pretend you’re at the bar or go for a walk.

4) When I was growing up in my teen years even as far as today I often got complimented on my skin. You see, I never had problems with acne or large pores. Perhaps it was the strict regiment I had of taking care of my skin, genetics or the fact that I come from three generations of Dermatologists.

5) My favorite nephew, Miguel Zubiri, prefers Gio by Armani for himself but he absolutely loves Estee Lauders’ Pleasures, a scent he personally picked for his wife Audrey.

6) Patience is a virtue I sorely lack and dealing with stupidity is something I cannot tolerate but something I have to deal with in this God-forsaken country of ours.

7) Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. One group will never get the culture of the other.

In the late nineties, I was traveling so much between Europe, Asia and the United States, I used to wake up in the middle of the night and not know where I was.

9) People like me who are trying to lose weight have enough problems trying not to eat the wrong thing. Now all I have to do is sit in my car, drive through and watch my ass get bigger with every bite of the famous (Krispy Kreme) doughnut.

10) Those of you who don’t know the brand Zara, are either living under a rock or all your clothes are from the ukay-ukay.

(UPDATE) Ousted journalist Malu Fernandez resumes writing

A LIFESTYLE writer, who was earlier reported to have been hounded out of her job after she wrote a travel piece many readers found insulting to millions of Filipinos who work abroad, has resumed writing.

Malu Fernandez had earlier said that she quit her job as a columnist at the Manila Standard Today newspaper and People Asia magazine after her article "From Boracay to Greece!" provoked international outrage.

However, an article titled "Unseen evil on your dressing table" with her byline appeared on the newspaper's website and on its Monday issue.

Fernandez's earlier travel piece, which appeared in the June edition of the magazine and later in modified form in the newspaper, recounts her mock horror at finding herself in economy class surrounded by Filipino maids reeking of cheap cologne.

"I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them," she wrote.

The column drew fire from across the universe of online diaries who denounced her for alleged bigotry.

Eight million Filipinos, including maids, seamen, construction workers and professionals, work abroad and sent a record seven billion dollars back to the Philippines in the six months of 2007.

Fernandez at first tried to deflect criticism of her article, saying in a subsequent newspaper column that it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek humor.

"If any of these people actually read anything thicker than a magazine they would find it very funny," she wrote.

"Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. One group will never get the culture of the other."

However, Fernandez said she has since become the "target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults" and felt the need to apologize and quit.

The Manila Standard Today had earlier confirmed that Fernandez no longer wrote for the paper. It was not immediately clear why she had resumed writing.


Originally posted 12:03 a.m.

Emil Jurado, the Bigote

Veteran news icon Emil Jurado has decided to join in on the Malu Fernandez fray and share his two bits of wisdom on the pressing issue which OFW's worldwide have been clamoring about.

This he did in his "To the point" column, with a post which is ironically titled "Educating Migrants"

However, the piece de resistance that Jurado wrote seems to go along the direction of Fernandez earlier articles, saying that the whole thing is an exercise of Freedom of Speech.
"I think Malu was simply writing what she thought and sensed. That’s freedom of the press. And what she wrote was just the truth. Everybody knows that."

After I had read that section of his article i knew where he was going and what he was going to say next. Much to my chagrin, Jurado shared similar incidents of him flying with his wife and encountering, according to his article , as a group of people that need to be educated on fine graces and behaviour to reflect a good persona of our country.

"The Fernandez incident brings to fore the need to educate our workers how to behave, not only at work and in relating with their employers, but also when they get together or take transportation, airplanes included.Malu was not the only one complaining about the uncouth and rowdy behavior of these “new heroes.” I myself have had sad experiences in the economy class. They are not expected to dress up like “sosyals,” the derogatory term they give to people who dress up or take the business class.But the least we can expect from them is to behave properly and not to give foreigners an impression that all Filipinos conduct themselves the way they do."

Excuse me Mr. Jurado but what do you think are the kind of people who go abroad for work? We are definitely not of the uneducated class. Let me remind you that we are composed of doctors, nurses, teachers and other diploma bearing workers who have sought financial refuge abroad because the so-called educated group of people that run our country has failed miserably in economics.Why, even the lowly Domestic Helper ( as Malu has tagged them) are often comprised of Teachers and Accountants who could not make ends meet because of the lack of opportunities they are besieged with back home.

Jurado's column further cites amazing facts like Filipinos being banned from certain Hong Kong and Singapore venues because of the noise and litter they make whenerv they meet up during their day's off.

"In Singapore, Filipinos are no longer allowed to congregate at the well-known Lucky Mall along Orchard Road because of the noise and the litter they make. Filipino domestics seem to be at their loudest when they are together.

In Hong Kong, during Sundays and holidays, I am embarrassed as a Filipino to see them spreading out mats at public places both in Kowloon and Hong Kong sides and eat with their hands. Some of them go on manicuring and pedicuring their compatriots. In fact, they are now banned from congregating at the Landmark Mall because of complaints."

I did a quick check on the net to find if there was an actual banning of sorts for the venues he mentioned but i could not find one to no avail. However, I do remember Batjay making a

post on Lucky Mall a few weeks back..yeah, but that was a good post, and he did not say anything on Pinoys being banned in the area.

What angers me with this post is Jurado's elitist point of view. By trying to act sympathetic to OFW's , saying his heart bleeds out to these people, yet here he is setting a low standard on the very same people that his fellow columnist has hurt.

"I have nothing about them smelling bad or dressing with their usual uniform of T-shirt and denims with sneakers, because many foreigners, especially Americans, do the same while traveling.

I think that it is the responsibility of the POEA and the foreign affairs department to educate them on correct conduct before they go abroad to work. I don’t mean to look down on our “new heroes,” but really, how foreigners perceive us Filipinos has gone from bad to worse."

He didn't help out in anything for his column, like Malu's firstapology, all it did was make matter's worse.

And for someone to say that you have nothing about us smelling bad...come on, old man, have you really come across a fellow pinoy who smelled bad during your sojourns abroad.

Jurado's article had the word "Burgis" written all over it.
So, Pinoys abroad may be a little rowdy and noisy during weekend convenings or during a flight back home, but hey, these are people who's temporary joy was to be among their own during the so-called weekends and enjoy each other's company. True, it may be noisy, but hey, other cultures which meet on similar days are nosy as well.

It's all because of the fact that for a few minutes, these people forget the stressful week that was, and celebrate with fellow Pinoys, whom despite the difference in origin and background, look like a family friend or relative, which they can talk to and be with in a far away place from home.
Given the same circumstances, wouldn't you do the same.

I think you just do not get it.

And what about this push for training and educating our OFW's before they go abroad. I don't see top countries like the US or Japan for that matter pushing their countrymen to take in a required crash course on Manners and Etiquette before flying off to a foreign land. Do you?

I believe this is two in a row for Manila Standard Today and it pretty much sums up its stand on these things with OFW's worldwide. They really do not give a damn. The whole exercise in boycott has done nothing to affect their senses. In fact the clamor for a statement has only lead to them releasing another bigot in the offing.

This is just an issue that refuses to die down, not because people like me do not want to shut up, but because companies like MST allow bigots to write freely on their own accord. Like i said in a previous post, that is why, in this world we reporters revolve in, we have this thing called an Editor. They are there to Edit content before it sees the light of print.

I don't think MST has Editors, and if they do, they're all dummies.

Now let me see you edit this.

Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy

this came from Malu Fernandez regarding her article. read on!



"I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled 'From Boracay to Greece!' which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.

As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )

I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest."

pix from Aguinaldo class

some pictures of the Agui class of Dell ISP

an OPEN LETTER TO MALU FERNANDEZ

i did not write this letter, but i do love its content:





"Now I'm not one to openly court controversy, but this lady has got my knickers in a twist.I'm referencing to an article I found on Bryanboy.com which can read here: PART 1 PART 2

Dear. Malu Fernandez

FIRST OF ALL, How nouveau riche can one get? Did you marry rich? Did you suddenly come in to money? Your blatant displays of your 'luxuries' and 'wealth' and your comfort with using the word 'elitist' to describe yourself alongside the fact that you had to reference to 'politicians in your family' show that even if you did come from money, you certainly have no class.

You also seem to need to name-drop in every article that you write.

It really gets to me that you should complain about the coach seats on your Emirates flight. Honey, they aint small... YOU'RE FAT. Spare yourself some doughnuts and maybe your travels will be more comfortable... coach, or not.

MOST IMPORTANTLY. That you would put down OFW's (Overseas Filipino Workers) is really DISGUSTING. It makes you sound more vile than what you described as the scent of their 'AXE and Charlie cologne' while your 'Jo Malone melted into thin air'. Honey, without that perfume, you want to know what you smell like? Like a fat Filipino woman. The smell is probably more putrid than the smell of those OFW's. Cause they sweat honest, hard-working sweat. The kind of sweat that keeps the Filipino economy going. They're fucking brave. They've seen more than you, felt more than you, and fought more than you. You're just a coddled fat Filipino woman, under all of that cologne, and that branded clothing that makes you feel more important than them.

It sounds to me like you get to fly Business Class when you travel for work, but when you had to pay for your own travels, coach was more affordable. You tried to hide this by grandiose references to you perfume and your designer wear, didn't you? Tsk tsk...

You made some mention of having 17kg's of make-up in your hand-carry. All the make-up and adornments in the world can't hide how ugly you are inside. You aint that good-looking either, hon. Go to the gym, eat some fruits. You wrote that you wanted to slit your wrists because you were stuck in coach with all the OFW's. I am MOVED every time I am on a flight with OFW's. 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. And you are going to hell if you don't change the way you think. Think of sitting in coach, imagining your personal hell as a personal foreshadowing.

I have lived in the Philippines, and I have also traveled the world. I've probably been to as many if not more places than you, seen more things than you, so maybe despite all of this money you seem to need to brandish and the places you have been to, you're just an ignorant. This coming from a 20 year old girl.

You're act isn't classy. You're not pretentious. You're just some stupid woman, living in a third world country, thinking that because you jetted off to Greece and you wear Jo Malone perfume, you are suddenly something.

Take this from someone with the same 'socio-economic background' as you, bitch. What a pitiful excuse.

I also happen to read things 'thicker than magazines', I go to University in London where I will finish with an Honors Bachelors Degree in May. I have a 1 year Marketing Economics degree from a business school in Oslo, and I graduated with an International Baccalaureate Diploma at age 17, if you were wondering. So no fucking excuses.

You could do so much more than you think, yet you choose to act like a proper twat. The kind of twat that people with some brains laugh at, the world over. Think of this as some more exposure.

I am ashamed of people like you.

OFW'S all over the world, working their tits off, deserve a public apology. "

a view from afar

the Angel aka Archangel

Warren Worthington III was born in Centerport, New York to Kathryn Worthington and Warren Worthington Jr. He was attending a private school in his adolescence when white, feathered wings began to grow from his shoulder blades. At first Warren felt he was a freak, but he soon learned that he could use his wings to fly and to help people. When there was a fire in his dormitory, he borrowed some props from the school's drama department, dressed up as a "heavenly" angel and rescued his friends. He soon learned that he in fact is a mutant. He donned a mask and costume and called himself the Avenging Angel and was a solo adventurer originally.
He then began attending the Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters, where Professor Charles Xavier trained young mutants to control their powers and use them for good. Taking the code name Angel, Worthington became one of the original members of the superhero team the X-Men.
For a time, he was romantically interested in Jean Grey, but eventually he realized that Jean was in love with Scott Summers and gave up the pursuit.
While pursuing Sauron in the Savage Land, Angel was attacked by Pteranodons and fell to his death. He was brought back to life by an uncostumed Magneto, who was known as Creator in the Savage Land. Presumed dead, Magneto had been gathering a mutant army.
When the original X-Men were captured by the mutant island Krakoa, Professor X created a new team of X-Men to rescue them. When this new team of X-Men decided to stay, Angel and the rest of the original team, with the exception of Cyclops, left the team. He and Iceman went to Los Angeles, where they founded the Champions with Hercules, the Black Widow, and the original Ghost Rider. Following the apparent death of Jean Grey and Cyclops' subsequent exile from the team, Warren rejoined the X-Men to help pick up the slack. During this time, Angel grew increasingly disturbed by the behavior and actions of Wolverine, and after some time quit the team in protest.
He was once kidnapped by the Morlock leader Callisto and stripped of most of his clothing. Callisto attempted to humiliate him and rape him. He could not remember anything else at the time as he was unconscious. Just then, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Sprite arrived to stop Callisto, but they were also captured by the Morlocks and tied to stakes. Storm struck a deal with Callisto: a battle to the death without powers. They would duel with knives, with the winner keeping Angel and having the leadership of the Morlocks. Storm won, but spared Callisto's life. Shortly thereafter, Angel joined the Defenders.
The Defenders did not last much longer with Angel, Iceman, and Beast being the sole survivors. They had decided to abandon the hero's life, but with the resurrection of Jean Grey, the five original X-Men chose to form X-Factor. During this period, Warren found himself giving Jean more emotional support than Cyclops was, who was going through intense emotional repercussions while trying to deal with the fact that Jean was still alive in conjunction with his own involvement with Madelyne Pryor (who was later revealed to be a clone of Jean).

Archangel

Archangel with blue skin and metal wings. Art by Andrew Wildman.
Much later, having joined his teammates as a member of X-Factor, Warren's wings were severely damaged during the Mutant Massacre by Harpoon. Cameron Hodge—whom Warren had known for years and considered a friend, yet was secretly anti-mutant—had his wings amputated. Despondent over the loss of his wings, Warren escaped the hospital and commandeered his private jet, which exploded in the air as the rest of X-Factor watched helplessly from below. It was revealed that Hodge had sabotaged Warren's ultralight airplane to create the illusion that the depressed Warren had tried to commit suicide.
Before the explosion, Warren was spirited away by the ancient mutant Apocalypse. Apocalypse altered Warren's appearance, giving him blue skin, organic metal wings, and the ability to fire his metal feathers as projectiles. He also gave him the title of Death, the leader of his Horsemen. When it appeared as though Death had killed his former teammate Iceman, he overcame Apocalypse's brainwashing. Hungry for revenge, he tracked down Hodge. Hodge had kidnapped Warren's lover, Candy Southern, and killed her. Warren beheaded Hodge with his wings, seemingly killing him (it was later revealed that Hodge's head still lived in the X-Tinction Agenda crossover). Warren did not rejoin X-Factor immediately afterwards, spending some time as a loner called "Dark Angel" due to his state of mind following Southern's death. After the events of Inferno, he finally rejoined X-Factor, taking the name Archangel at Beast's urging. It was around this point that he became romantically involved with Charlotte Jones, a New York City Police officer who helped to rescue Warren and the rest of X-Factor from the Ravens, a cult of near-immortal psychic vampires.

Angel Again
After rejoining the X-Men, Archangel became romantically involved with Psylocke. Warren soon traded in his "Death" garb for his old blue and white costume, signifying he was attempting to put his dark days behind him. After Psylocke was eviscerated by X-Men prisoner Sabretooth during an escape attempt, Warren and the X-Men tracked down and captured him, but not before he was able to badly damage Warren's metal wings. Over time, the damage to his wings spread. Eventually the metal wings shattered completely, revealing that his feathered wings had been growing back within them and broke them apart from the inside. This followed a visit from Ozymandias, who told him that he was indeed one of Apocalypse's chosen ones. Reclaiming his original codename Angel, Warren still retained his blue skin color. Having both experienced drastic changes in their lives, Psylocke and Warren found themselves growing apart, while Psylocke began showing attraction for new X-Men recruit Thunderbird. Realizing they were no longer on the same path, Warren ended their relationship, wishing her happiness in the future.

Cover to Generation M #5. Art by Stuart Immonen.
Warren remained a member of one of the core X-Men teams, where he served as co-leader with Nightcrawler. In a fight with Black Tom Cassidy, Angel experienced a "secondary mutation". His blood gained advanced healing properties, giving him the ability to heal quickly from wounds and allowing him to heal others when his blood is mixed with theirs. This new power "healed" Warren's skin from Apocalypse's alterations, turning his blue pallor back to its original shade. Warren discovered his ability to heal others when he saved the life of teammate Husk (Paige Guthrie) after she was severely injured in battle. He has since become involved in a controversial romance with Paige, who is several years his junior. It was also revealed during The Draco storyline that his blood dealt much pain to Nightcrawler. Also in the same storyline it is hinted by Azazel, Nightcrawler and Abyss's father, that Archangel may actually be related to an ancient civilization of Angel like mutants who had banished Azazel and his people from Earth into another Dimension. Apparently this is the same dimension through which Kurt a.k.a Nightcrawler passes through while teleporting.

Decimation
Warren and Paige took an extended leave of absence, and Archangel launched a charity called "Mutantes Sans Frontières" in Zanzibar, (a reference to Doctors Without Borders), where he then proceeded to help stop a coup with the aid of Professor X's newest charges from nearby Genosha. In "Excalibur," Warren met up again with Callisto. As Paige reminded Warren of his history with Callisto, Viper attacked. Warren and Callisto then managed to defeat Viper together. In Generation M, it appeared that Angel's wings had shrunken and shriveled into a useless state following the events of House of M. However, it was revealed that Warren had managed to fake losing his mutant abilities in order to lure out The Ghoul[1], a deranged serial killer who uses his retained mutant powers to murder ex-mutants.

Civil War
Though not an active member of any team, Warren has re-united with the other surviving original X-Men—Cyclops, Iceman, and Beast—in a mission to stop Bishop from re-capturing the fugitive mutants known as The 198[2]. The X-Men later teamed up with Bishop to find and recover the 198.

World War Hulk
Archangel joined with fellow former Champions member Hercules, along with Namora, and Amadeus Cho to attempt to calm down The Hulk in the Incredible Hulk #107. In their attempts to help save New York City from the destruction, they form a new team of superheroes, called the Renegades.

Messiah Complex
Archangel is set to play a big role in the upcoming X-Event, 'X-Men: Messiah Complex'