RP doctors: Rectify racist slur in 'Desperate Housewives'

A group of Filipino medical professionals sought the producers of “Desperate Housewives"and ABC Studios to rectify the “damage that has already been done" to the sector by the racist slur in the show. The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) on Thursday demanded that the insulting remark about “some Philippine med schools" be deleted from the now infamous scene. In an interview with GMA News’ 24 Oras, Dr. Romeo Encanto, PMA vice president, said that with the dent made on the reputation of the Philippine medical industry, only prompt action from the show can correct it. “We are happy that they [ABC] issued an apology but the portion must be erased or a rectification must be made," said Encanto. The report also mentioned that the PMA would not take the matter lightly as the issue will be read during the plenary session of the 58th World Medical Association General Assembly this week in Copenhagen, Denmark. A Palace official has found the apology from the producers of the American television series already sufficient. “Nag-apologize na. I think that is enough. If you me ask me, okay na iyon. Umamin na e," said chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol. Apostol also said the Philippine government has seen to it that the standards of medical schools in the country are always improved. He noted that the government remedied problems over the nursing licensure exam leakage in June last year by requiring a re-take for those interested in working in the US. In the fourth season premiere of the show aired on September 30 on ABC, Teri Hatcher's character, Susan Mayer, visits her doctor and was visibly terrified when the latter implied she was having menopause. ''Listen, Susan, I know for a lot of women the word 'menopause' has negative connotations. You hear 'aging,' 'brittle bones,' 'loss of sexual desire,''' said the doctor who was cut midway from his explanation by an agitated Mayer. ''OK, before we go any further, can I check these diplomas? Coz, I just want to make sure they’re not from some med school in the Philippines'' she said while searching for the doctor’s records. He apparently graduated from Harvard Medical School. ABC studios issued a public apology over the controversial dialog amidst heated discussions in the Philippines especially among bloggers in the internet. ''The producers of 'Desperate Housewives' and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines,'' the statement said. 'As leaders in broadcast diversity, we are committed to presenting sensitive and respectful images of all communities featured in our programs,'' it concluded. Kevin Nadal, 29, a Filipino-American college lecturer who lives in New York, posted the online petition calling ABC to task for the scene. ''I was immediately offended and, really, just hurt. These days, people are supposed to be more sensitive or more aware of what's considered appropriate,'' he said, while echoing PMA’s demand to see the dialogue removed from future airings and DVDs. - Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV, with reports from AP