National Federation of Filipino American Associations

We don’t know how long this controversial YouTube video clip will stay online so be forewarned that this might not be here forever. We will write the updates in the comments section of this posting:

Kevin Nadal, a Filipino Performance Artist and Activist based in the United States — after doing his due diligence about the latest “Desperate Housewives” episode that had Teri Hatcher replying to the OB-GYN, “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines?” — started an online petition.

Within a couple of days, ABC.com issued an apology and promised to take off the offending segment off its DVD releases and re-broadcasts. We lost count of the number of e-mails that came into our IN BOXES with opinions galore about how the Filipinos need to rise to the occasion, together with other ethnic communities, and make a solid stand (aside from an apology).

Kevin, in his October 3, 2007 e-mail, said:

Some people may think that this apology is NOT enough, and if you don’t, I encourage you to take action, in whatever way you feel passionate and/or reasonable.

Some people may think that this apology IS enough, and if you do, then I encourage you to remember this each time you think that your voice cannot be heard.

In about 55 hours, 43,500+ Filipinos and Filipino supporters across the globe took part in this petition (at time of writing this email), which shows that we as a people can come together and advocate for something in which we believe. But maybe now, we need to advocate for bigger and more prominent issues, like poverty in our homeland, oppression of our own people, immigrant rights of Filipinos across the Diaspora, or corruption in the government.

We must not be complacent; we must always advocate for positive change.

What’s been happening since then?

Our NaFFAA national offices in Washington DC had issued a statement and opened communication lines to ABC.

NaFFAA Region 8 (Northern California), like many Fil-Am communities in the US, is meeting with as many community-based organizations (and concerned persons; everyone is welcome!) that can fit into the Philippine Consulate of San Francisco’s 5th Floor Social Hall, 447 Sutter Street on Tuesday, 9 October 2007, at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the community meeting is “to undertake local mass actions against ABC and the Disney Corporation because of the attack on our community,” according to Rodel Rodis, one of NaFFAA’s founders based in San Francisco.”

Rodis continued: “In San Francisco, we are forming a Philippine Anti-Defamation Coalition of NaFFAA working with members of the Philippine Medical Society, the Philippine Nurses Association, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (California Chapter), and other groups and individuals who were educated in the Philippines and who feel that the ABC episode will have a profound negative on the public perception of them. We are planning on engaging in creative actions that will impress on ABC the gravity of the slight inflicted on our community.”

Rodel Rodis also noted: “Many of the Philippine-trained doctors are conservative Republicans who are not involved with our community because their high income lifestyles insulate them from the concerns of the rest of our community. This issue is bringing them out — and is making activists out of many of them (at last!) — and is making them get a glimpse of the kind of racial profiling that the disadvantaged members of our community suffer on a regular basis. NaFFAA Region 8’s call to action is to encourage these doctors’ involvement NOW!

As of today, 5 October 2007, there is a planned demonstration/picket at 6:00 p.m. at the ABC Studio located at 77 West 66th Street, between Columbus and Central Park West in New York City.

An e-mail announcement was sent out just after midnight today from Rodel Rodis on behalf of NaFFAA Region 8:

“DESPERATE COMMUNITY” MEETING
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 6:00 p.m.
Philippine Consulate Social Hall (5th Floor)
447 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) R8 is calling on all Filipino community organizations and concerned individuals to attend a community meeting on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, at 6 PM at the Social Hall (5th Floor) of the Philippine Consulate at 447 Sutter Street in San Francisco to discuss the “Desperate Housewives” defamation of Philippine-educated medical professionals.

During the September 30, 2007 premiere episode of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives”, there was a scene where the character played by Teri Hatcher was informed by her physician that she might be hitting menopause. Skeptical of this diagnosis, she replied: “OK, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? Because I would just like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines.”Many of the 25-M viewers of watched that episode probably did not think too much about it. Some probably just laughed. But some probably found the remark confirmation of their own stereotypical negative view of the educational system in the Philippines.

For us, that segment of the show was insulting. In fact, it was more than insulting — it was downright scary.

Scary because of the bigotry hidden between those lines – a bigotry which feeds more distrust, more condescension towards our people, and even possibly more hate.

Scary because of the subliminal message to millions of viewers who were watching the show then, and who will watch the show in the future in DVDs and in syndication, about the qualifications of our most esteemed, most educated kababayan. If they can easily propagate that stereotype about our doctors, how much more easily can they do it with the rest of us?

Please join us on Tuesday, October 9. For more information, please call Rodel Rodis at (415) 334-7800 or Dr. Carmelo M. Roco at (415) 421-2256.

See you at the community meeting!!!