'Desperate Housewives' producers trying to make up with Fil-Ams

The producers of the controversial American TV show "Desperate Housewives" have initiated measures to win back the goodwill of the Filipino community following an initial talk with Filipino community representatives Thursday night (Manila time). Executives of American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) will also meet Saturday (Manila time) with Filipino-American community groups to discuss a "more concrete" apology for a racial slur against the Philippine medical and healthcare profession in the TV show. The National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, Philippine Forum and Migrant Heritage Commission will attend the meeting amid mounting protests over the slur. The Nafcon is a network of Filipino groups spanning 23 cities in the United States. A statement on the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) website Friday said Robert Mendez, senior vice president for diversity and talent development, had a "very cordial and pleasant telephone conversation" with Migrant Heritage Commission executive director Arnedo Valera Thursday evening (New York time). It said both agreed to meet in Trump Plaza Hotel in New York at 5 p.m. Friday (New York time), four blocks away from the organized community picket led by Nafcon and Philippine Forum.

"As a good faith gesture to the Filipino Community, ABC's Mr. Mendez assured Mr. Valera that the controversial episode will be edited and the scene permanently cut and never again be shown even in reruns, DVD set or any format for sale or rent. Likewise in exchange of goodwill with Mr. Valera, Mr. Mendez agreed to listen to the demands for more concrete measures of accountability to be presented by the Filipino-American Community panel group led by Nafcon, Philippine Forum and The Migrant Heritage Commission," the statement said. Mendez also promised to "seriously address all the demands and concerns of the picketing groups," the statement said. Rico Foz of Nafcon, Bernadette Llorin of Philippine Forum, and a representative of the medical community will join Valera in the Fil-Am panel that will present the demands of the organized picketing groups to Mendez. The Filipino community had planned a picket in front of Manhattan's ABC Studios at 77 West 66th. Expected to join the protest action are the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, Naffaa, Anakbayan, Movement for Free Philippines, Filipinos for Rights and Empowerment, and the Sentosa 27 nurses. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is recognized by Washington policy-makers, private industry and national advocacy groups as the voice of Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States. It is a non-partisan, non-profit national affiliation of more than five hundred Filipino-American institutions and umbrella organizations. Its 12 regions cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Marianas. Another picket in Metropolitan Washington DC on Saturday will include the Philippine Medical Association of Metro Washington D.C. (PMAMW) and MD. Supporting them are various Fil-Am organizations, among them are the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) DC and MD and the MHC. Among the demands to be presented at the meeting are: * ABC broadcast a public apology and not simply a one paragraph statement; * Conduct a complete and thorough investigation of those responsible for writing the reprehensible and racial slur script line; * Conduct racial and cultural sensitivity programs for all employees; * A categorical and unequivocal statement that ABC recognizes the significant contribution of Philippine Health Care professionals especially our doctors, nurses and other health care givers to the entire US Health Care System because of their competence and high quality of skills; * A sincere and proper apology to the Filipino people and the nation and the Fil-Am community groups for disparaging and maligning the Philippine educational system and the expressed racial prejudice to Filipino doctors and physicians; * A commitment to make episodes and shows that will depict Filipinos and other minority groups as prominent positive role models of the community and that ABC agrees to support Filipino-American Community projects that will strengthen racial diversity and harmony in local communities and at the national level. Nafcon promised to "organize more peaceful, continuous and sustained pickets and protests together with various Filipino-American groups and minority groups in the country until the demands are substantially met." - GMANews.TV