'Desperate' petitioners want more than sorry

With the online petition demanding apology from the producers of the hit American television series “Desperate Housewives" breaching the 100,000 mark, signatories want more than a "simple" sorry. As of 9:45 p.m. Monday, the number of signatures from PetitionOnline.com reached 108,565 but the increase has since slowed down after hitting the 100,000 mark Sunday morning. The petition, initiated by New York-based Filipino lecturer, Kevin Nadal, also slipped to second place in the website’s Top 10 Petitions. A week after the controversy, signatories now vary among medical health workers and professionals to educators, priests and even foreigners. There are also those who had multiple registrations in the petition that began shortly after the derogatory remark from the show (“'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.") was aired on September 30. Curiously, there is also an entry from one Freddie Aguilar. More than an apology Despite the assurance from ABC Studios that the controversial remark had been edited from future airings and the DVD copy to be distributed later, many petitioners find this still lacking. “ABC needs to make a high profile apology. Their apology should be shown on the next broadcast of Desperate Housewives. Their apology was made in such a low profile manner that you cannot even find it in their website," said Ma. Dorina Pineda. Several petitioners supported demands for the explanation of show’s writers and actors while some even threatened legal action or another people’s uprising. “[Apology] not only (from) ABC but the whole cast of the show," said Rutherford Simos. “ABC Channel and most specifically the producers, screen writers and the actors and actresses of Desperate Housewives should be made to explain their motives behind and to give their basis as to their allegation," Jose Roel Atazan demanded. “This is discrimination…very unprofessional and totally unacceptable! We demand an apology or we shall do the necessary legal action against you!" said one Dr. Rey A. Gonzales. “People’s Power maybe the answer," Gonzales said. “ We are the pioneer on this and we can do this again to fight discrimination!" Reverend Fr. Socrates Montealto appealed against the " use (of) media, even the most comic show to malign or destroy the reputation of people of whatever color, race and belief." Doctors and non-doctors Filipino medical professionals, who are said to be the hardest hit in the racist slur, were quick to defend their profession. “Here in rural America where we practice, our patients are most appreciative of our work and dedications and compassionate care," Dr. Eugenio S. Siruno explained. “In some rural towns, it is the foreign medical graduates like the Filipino doctors who are the only real medical doctor…caring and treating these American Families as not very many American doctors would like to serve their own people." Siruno further expressed his disappointment to the insulting remark from the show which questioned the credibility of a doctor who might come from some “Philippine med school" especially since he has been taking care of several poor Americans. Wesley Lawrimore has an interesting assertion why American shows choose to pick on Filipinos for their punchlines. “Notice too, the writers dare not have her seeing an African-American doctor and saying, ‘Did your degrees come from one of those black schools in Atlanta?’ Oh no , that would have touched off a fire storm from the African-American community ( and rightfully so ). Nor did you have the doctor being a Mexican for again obvious reasons. So why did your writers calculatingly have her seeing a doctors who she suspected of having Filipino degrees for the butt of this joke? Because the writer felt it was “safe" to pick on Filipinos. Well think again! You have another thing coming!" he explained. Others also defended the sector by namedropping prominent Filipino medical professionals who have demonstrated their expertise abroad. “By the way, President Clinton's personal doctor was a Filipina whom he proudly introduced to the public during his commencement speech in UCSD back in 1998, knowing that some of the graduates in the culturally diverse campus were Filipinos," said Rosita Dolar referring to Dr. Eleanor "Connie" Concepcion Mariano. Manny Sison Gadduang recalled how even a big shot Hollywood star’s life was saved by a Filipino doctor during the filming of their movie in the Philippines. “I do recall when the movie "Apocalypse Now" was filmed in the Philippine in 1979, one of the leading Hollywood actor ( a big, big star compared to Teri [Hatcher]) suffered a near fatal heart attack. Guess who gave this big star a second chance?" he asked. Gadduang was hinting at American actor Martin Sheen who was apparently diagnosed by a Filipino doctor. Foreigners signed, too The attention of foreigners was also caught by the infamous racial slur as they claim that the statement was made not only against Filipinos but on all minorities in general. “Filipinos are very good people, beautiful country. Just came there where we stayed 3 weeks. They deserved an apology from ABC/Disney," said Guatemalan Maria Elena Payes-Ambrocio, who is married to a Filipino-American. Christopher R. Jauregui emphatized, “I, not being Filipino, still take great offense to such an ignorant and shameful public script line. God bless my brothers and sisters of color who do form a vital and phenomenal portion of the backbone within the medical body of this country.’’ “I only hope that Filipino professionals don't think this is the view of most Americans," Henry Schuppert asked. Freddie Aguilar? A petitioner with the name “Freddie Aguilar" posted a rather fiery comment not against ABC Studios but towards the thousands who have demanded the apology. “Ang hirap sa inyo puro kayo dakdak. Wala namang mangyayari. Ang latang maingay ay walang laman. Kung kayo ay talagang tapat sa inyong hangarin at may karangalang tunay, bakit hindi kayo lumingon sa inyong pinagmulan?" signatory number 99911(http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?FilABC&8401) said. “May kilala akong Pinay, umuwi dito kamakailan. Ayaw maglakad sa kalye dahil mapuputikan ang kanyang Manolo. May kakilala akong Pinoy, umuwi rin dito minsan. Ayaw inumin ang tubig dahil hindi Evian. Naku, kayong mga Pinoy diyan sa ibayong dagat, magpaka-totoo naman kayo sa inyong sarili. Ang inyong yabang ay walang kahihinatnan," it added. The comment further went: “Kaya huwag na kayong magtaka kung kayo ay pinipintasan at nilalait. Dapat lang. Marami dito sa atin ang gustong lumayas para tularan kayo. Kaya, ayan, sila ay nagpapa-alila, nagpuputa, binababoy, binabastos, at binubusabos. OK lang, dahil masaya kayo, di ba? Kasi may “dollars" ang bulsa ninyo. To those of you who did not understand a word and yet so “Proud to be Pinoy", shame on you…" - Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV