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Protests to push through despite Tsao's apology


Excerpt of Chip Tsao's 'The War At Home' column


Manila has just claimed sovereignty over the scattered rocks in the South China Sea called the Spratly Islands, complete with a blatant threat from its congress to send gunboats to the South China Sea to defend the islands from China if necessary. This is beyond reproach. The reason: There are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as US$3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don't flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter. As a patriotic Chinese man, the news has made my blood boil. I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell everyone of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China. Grimly, I told her that if war breaks out between the Philippines and China, I would have to end her employment and send her straight home, because I would not risk the crime of treason for sponsoring an enemy of the state by paying her to wash my toilet and clean my windows 16 hours a day. With that money, she would pay taxes to her Government, and they would fund a navy to invade our motherland and deeply hurt my feelings. - For full article click this link
(Updated 1:01 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Despite a public apology from Chip Tsao on Tuesday evening, the Filipino community will still march on the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to protest the 'racist' column written by the embattled Chinese journalist. Tsao made a public apology over Hong Kong-based private television network ATV in its 7:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts and said he used the term 'servant' as a "sacred" word. "The ’servant’ is a good term. A Hong Kong government official is a civil servant. We are all servants to God, right? I’m now aware that I’ve crossed the line and I offer my public apology," Tsao was quoted as saying. But the Filipino community in Hong Kong is not buying Tsao's explanation. Romulo Salud, labor attache of the Philippine consulate general in Hong Kong told dzBB radio on Wednesday that the protest on Sunday would push through. Salud earlier said that the protests will probably be held at Hong Kong's central district. "Palagay ko matutuloy ang malawakang rally diyan. Ihahanda nila sa Linggo [I think they will still procceed with the rally, which they are readying for this Sunday]," Salud said in a separate interview on dzBB radio. Salud said they will issue a statement later after he meets with the Philippine consulate officials to discuss their next action following Tsao’s 'sorry'. In an interview with QTV's Balitanghali, acting Consul General Kira Danganan-Azucena found no reason to stop the Filipino community from mounting protests against Tsao. Although the Philippine consulate welcomes Tsao's apology, she said "Hong Kong has pride itself as a bastion of democracy" and anyone can air their concerns when necessary. Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez meanwhile, called Tsao's explanation an "insult to the intelligence" of the Filipinos and challenged the Chinese journalist to a boxing match. "[I] still would like one round, just one round in the ring with him. I will forget but will not forgive," he said. The Philippine government hinted Tuesday it may seek a further apology from the Hong Kong magazine that carried Tsao's March 27 column entitled, "The War At Home." Foreign Affairs department spokesman Eduardo Malaya said Manila has requested the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong to consult Filipinos there if they are already satisfied with the Monday apology from HK Magazine and its publisher Asia City Publishing House. Despite admitting that Tsao’s column was offensive, the publishing company defended that the column was satirical and could be read “in different ways." The now infamous column, that has since disappeared on HK Magazine's website, called the Philippines unworthy of claiming the Spratly Islands from China because the former is a "nation of servants." "There are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as US$3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don't flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter," Tsao wrote. Philippine lawmakers called for a diplomatic protest against Tsao, with one politician threatening a boycott of all Hong Kong products following the racist column. Labor Secretary Marianito Roque cautioned Tsao to watch his words especially since Hong Kong depends largely on Filipino maids to keep their economy going. “What if in one day our 133,000 Filipino workers in Hong Kong decide not to work? Let’s see if their economy won’t stall. Their finance manager might not come to work just to take his kid to school," Roque said. Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration (BI) chief Marcelino Libanan, who earlier blacklisted Tsao in the Philippines, said that he would personally tour the Hong Kong columnist around the country to show him that the Philippines is not a 'nation of servants' but a nation of professionals.' The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong had also reportedly demanded HK Magazine to print its statement of apology in its next issue. This is not the first time Filipinos have demanded a written, public apology from the foreign media. Last year, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) also apologized for the "offensive" portrayal of a Filipino maid in an episode of the UK comedy series, "Harry and Paul." The controversial skit aired in the September 26 episode of "Harry and Paul" showed comedian Harry Enfield telling a postman that he is ordering his Filipino maid to mate with his friend Paul Whitehouse. Filipinos from all over the globe, particularly the 200,000 strong Filipino community in the UK, were angered by the show and demanded an apology from the shows creators as well as the British government because of the "racist" content of the show. Last year, a scene in the ABC television hit series "Desperate Housewives" that put into question the credibility of medical education in the Philippines elicited angry remarks from Filipinos, and later on amassed thousands of signatures through an online petition. The show’s creators apologized for the slur and promised to hire Filipino actors and introduce a Filipino character into the show. - Sophia Dedace, Jam Sisante with Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV
Tags: chiptsao, racism
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