Govt eyes further apology from HK mag over 'racist' article

MANILA, Philippines - The government hinted Tuesday it may seek a further apology from a Hong Kong magazine over a racist remark by a columnist describing the Philippines as a “nation of servants." Foreign Affairs department spokesman Eduardo Malaya said Manila has requested the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong to consult Filipinos there if they are satisfied with Monday's apology by HK Magazine. "Ni-request natin ang consul general in Hong Kong to make an assessment whether this apology is sufficient and to consult the Filipino community there. Sila ang tao sa ground. It’s more their feelings we ought to be attending to," Malaya said in an interview over radio dzRH. [We requested our consul general in Hong Kong to make an assessment whether this apology is sufficient, and to consult the Filipino community there. They are the ones on the ground, it’s their feelings we ought to attend to.] He noted the apology issued by the editors of HK Magazine was already "malakas [intense]" as one can expect. On the other hand, Malaya called for sobriety among Filipinos in exercising their "righteous indignation" over the magazine article. The appeal was made amid suggestions ranging from lodging protests to boycotting Hong Kong. "Ito ay case of righteous indignation. Tama na tayo nagre-react nang ganito. Pero siguro po ang reaction medyo balanse at proportional [It is a case of righteous indignation. It is right for us to react strongly but we must temper it by making it balanced and proportional]," he said, but did not elaborate. Disciplinary action Earlier, a militant Filipino migrant workers’ advocacy group rejected Tuesday the apology of a Hong Kong magazine for an article branding the Philippines a “nation of servants." Migrante International chairwoman Connie Regalado said HK Magazine must go beyond apologizing and impose "disciplinary action" on its columnist Chip Tsao. "Hindi lang nakakasapat ang sorry ng HK magazine. Kailangan mag-impose ng disciplinary action sa sarili nilang journalist [Its apology is not enough. It must impose disciplinary action on its own journalist]," she said in an interview on dzXL radio. But Regalado also called on the Arroyo administration to review its policy on the export of Filipino labor. She noted Tsao’s article, which had focused on the dispute over the Spratly Islands, branded the Philippines a "nation of servants." "Kailangan i-review ang policy ng gobyerno di lang sa Spratly kundi pati ang labor export policy ng gobyerno. Vulnerable ang ating migrant worker sa discriminatory na pangyayari ... Siguro wake up call din ng gobyerno ito [Government must review its policy not only for the Spratlys but also its labor export policy. Our migrant workers are vulnerable to the resulting discrimination. This should be a wake up call for government]," she said. On Monday, editors of HK Magazine apologized for the "politically incorrect" column, but Tsao has yet to issue an apology. - GMANews.TV