Money can't buy DELICADEZA

Mood: Irritated

OK. It has been 24 hours since I read an article that my housemate told me to search in Google. He said: “Enzo, nakilala mo na ba si Malu Fernandez?”, “Who that girl is?”, I replied (with the hood accent that automatically comes along with it). “Basta basahin mo article niya.”

So I opened my laptop, got connected and typed in “Malu Fernandez” in Google.

This will be a very, very, very interesting afternoon…

Ms. Malu Fernandez is a columnist in People Asia Magazine and Manila Standard Today, “fashionista” and a bitch (yes, she calls herself one, can’t argue with that). In her magazine article “From Boracay to Greece!”, she talks about her summer escape, going to Boracay then to Greece, then back to Bora.

For all those who haven’t read the article yet, I’m sure that you’re wondering why I’m irritated. Please see the links below.

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Read it? Good. How do you feel about it?

I just want to get this out of my system. It has been 24 hours and her words are still ringing in my ears. This is unhealthy.

It bothers me how she writes about OFWs, how she sees them, how she wanted to slash her wrist at the thought of being trapped with all of them [OFWs].

Your ticket says Economy Class, Ms. Fernandez, and common sense dictates that you will get what you paid for. To emphasize, please do not expect to have First Class or Business Class services and perks if your ticket says Economy.

I think most bloggers are calling you names pertaining to your weight and body type because you bitched on how seats are so small in Economy that you had bruises on your legs. Again, please… please do not expect to have the space that First Class or Business Class offers because you are flying Economy, you chose to save on your ticket.

Are the OWFs you’re with really that noisy? Really… I don’t think so. I’m sorry, but the vibe that I got when I read your article is that you think so highly of yourself. I think you are so self-centered. I think you feel like you’re above all of them and that they are not worthy sharing the same recycled oxygen in that plane because you are Malu Fernandez, The Malu Fernandez. Well, these are only my assumptions.

And if they are indeed noisy, the best thing for an educated woman (or any person for that matter) to do is to smile and keep it to herself, not to publish it and have your “target audience” read it and (supposedly) laugh about it.

Speaking of publishing, I also do not understand why this article became published in the first place. Did the editors of these publications take into consideration the effects of Ms. Fernandez’ words into our fellow OWFs, their families and the Masa in general? “OK, this is the Lifestyle section, Ms. Fernandez wrote about designer bags and perfumes, the article mentioned Louis Vuitton, Jo Malone Perfume, and even compared her high-end Jo Malone to Axe and Charlie cologne, that should do it!” Ganito ba ang proseso?

And there is a follow up! She wrote another article entitled “Am I being a diva? Or do you lack common sense?” after the magazine got a FEW e-mails about her previous funny article. (Yeah, I bet there are FEW.)

…As I type this, I’d like you to know that it’s not about whining, complaining and bitching but just stating the facts. Just recently, I wrote a funny article in my magazine column and my friends thought it was hilarious. It was humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, or at least I thought so, until the magazine got a few e-mails from people who didn’t get the meaning of my acerbic wit. The bottom line was just that I had offended the reader’s socioeconomic background. If any of these people actually read anything thicker then a magazine they would find it very funny. Most people don’t get the fact that they need bitches like me to shake up their world, otherwise their lives would be boring and mediocre. I obviously write for the a certain target audience and if what I write offends you, just stop reading.

Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. One group will never get the culture of the other. Although I could mention that it is easier to understand someone who has a lower socioeconomic background that would entail a whole other page and frankly I don’t want to be someone to bridge the gap between socioeconomic classes. I leave that to the politicians in my family who believe they can actually help. Now I seriously ask you, am I being a diva or are people around me just lacking in common sense? Perhaps it’s a little of both!

Ms. Fernandez, I did not find your article funny or at the very least entertaining. No matter how many times I read through it, trying to find even a shadow of the meaning of your acerbic wit, I couldn’t find it; I resigned to the conclusion that there isn’t any. That article of yours is just, I apologize for the lack of better term, wrong.

I am baffled by your indifference with what is happening around you. Again, I think you should have kept it to yourself.

After receiving death threats (HA!) and "deeply personal insults" she came out with this:

Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy

I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled 'From Boracay to Greece!' which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.

As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )

I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.

I really do hope that she learned her lesson and that she would write responsibly in the future. I also hope that she wrote this one without the magazine or the newspaper telling her to do so, that she wrote her apology because she finally realized the results of her words.

To be honest I find this statement as a half – hearted apology.

I am reacting this way because I am a son of an OFW father who works in Saudi Arabia. He has worked there for as long as I can remember. I am very proud of my OFW father. I will not be where I am today without him. And for someone, who did not experience working as an OFW, to talk about OFWs as a lower life form than herself, get over it, it is YOU who needs a BITCH to shake up your boring and mediocre world.

She already got the attention she wanted. Might as well move on. Bygone.