Alec Baldwin's 'Filipina mail-order bride' remark irks senators

MANILA, Philippines - Three senators took offense yesterday with the statement of American actor Alec Baldwin that he was thinking about getting a mail order bride from the Philippines.

Senators Loren Legarda, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Baldwin’s remark made the Filipina a subject of ridicule.

Legarda said by making the remark, Baldwin insulted the Filipino race and Pinays.

“Incidents of mockery against our race happen again and again, again and again we must not fail in our strong condemnation and resounding assertion of our dignity,” Legarda said.

“Let us make it clear to the world: Filipino women are not for sale. Not even for sale to Hollywood actors,” she said.

Facilitating or arranging a marriage between a Filipina and a foreigner is prohibited under Republic Act 6955 of the Anti-Mail-Order Bride Law of 1990. 

Zubiri said Filipinos should not let Baldwin’s rudeness pass and that the actor must make a public apology.

Zubiri and Revilla said Baldwin must be declared “persona non grata” by the Philippines if he would not apologize.

Revilla said the remark “is truly insensitive and uncalled for.”

“For him, it is funny but to the millions of Filipinos, it is mockery. Bad joke, not worth laughing,” Revilla said in a statement.

Being a celebrity, Revilla said Baldwin should be more prudent in issuing statements.

 “And he must know what he is talking about. Apparently, he is not aware that here in the Philippines we don’t tolerate mail order bride schemes that is why we enacted the Republic Act No. 6955 or the Anti-Mail-Order Bride Law,” Revilla said.

Revilla, also an actor, hit back at Baldwin, saying that if Baldwin’s “arrogance” would be the basis, his bride would be surely “unlucky.”

 “Subukan niyang pumunta dito sa Pilipinas nang maghalo ang balat sa tinalupan (Try to come here to the Philippines and there’ll be trouble),” Revilla said.

In his May 12 interview on The David Letterman Show, Baldwin said he would like to extend his family and have more children.

“I’d love to have more kids. I’m thinking about getting a Filipina mail-order bride at this point or a Russian. I don’t care, I’m 51,” Baldwin said.

The audience laughed at Baldwin’s remark and prompted the show’s host, Letterman, to say: “Get one for me (also), for later.”

There have been several instances in the past when the Filipina had been degraded in international media. There was Teri Hatcher on Desperate Housewives saying she wanted to make sure she would not be attended to by a doctor who attended a medical school in the Philippines.

Then there was the BBC program Harry and Paul portraying a Filipina maid in undignified and laughable postures. A Hong Kong writer also called the Philippines a “nation of servants.”

“To let this pass without a sound of protest is the height of insensitivity and callousness on our part, Filipino leaders,” Legarda said. – Aurea Calica