Last week was probably one of the most aggravating weeks in my life as a writer. My email and Facebook inboxes were flooded with both praise and criticism for coming out with a reaction on Gloria Diaz's recent TV interview which earned the ire of many Cebuanos for making a sweeping remark that "a Cebuana can hardly speak English."
The former Miss Universe defended that she was misunderstood and that it was never her intention to berate the Cebuanas' language capacity (to speak in English) nor to im-ply that she has ill-feelings against them.
The article along with the many editorials that came out in the local dailies reproving the bigoted content of her statement also fueled heated arguments in forum sites and so-cial networks and some blamed the media for putting so much attention to a very petty issue and for sparking an unnecessary ruckus over something that has nothing to do to help improve people's lives. "You've got better things to write than this crap." says an email to me.
To be honest, at first, I didn't really give it budge. I just dismissed the whole thing to be just one of those dumb showbiz hoopla until everyone was talking about it in Face-book. The more I read their stories, the more I felt how important it is to be mindful of the sensitivities of others.
And when I was told that the Cebuanos are just too overly sensitive, I did not hesitate to admit it.
Generally, Filipinos are sensitive. The fact that we were outraged over a joke on "Desperate Housewives" only proves that Filipinos can't even take a bad joke sitting down. It takes to be in the shoe of a Filipino to feel the hurt and implications of such jokes. On the same wise, it takes to be in the shoe of a Cebuano to understand how hurtful it is to be singled out from among the rest to be told that our Cebuanas do not know how to speak English. And we cannot blame the Cebuanos to react so adversely over such pro-nouncements.
But I think people should know that this not a question of what's petty or malicious. I think the issue here is about prudence and responsibility. Anything spoken to the public, especially by persons of influence, comes with the assumption of "value" or significance. When people react to statements, it means they find value (bad or good) with what you say. It's just so unfortunate that Diaz's statement wasn't the value the Cebuanos expect, thus, the outrage.
The Cebuanos have suffered enough and so as Miss Diaz. What came out her and the disgust that it brought should be a lesson for her to be more circumspect and considerate to others. It is good to be frank without losing your political correctness. This should also serve as a lesson to the Cebuanos that we must rise above our sensitivities and to be all the more motivated to excel in every field that we do. We have proven it before and we will prove it once more -- and again and again.
We have amply expressed what we feel and let us show what we are also known for - a forgiving people. It's about time to move on. We have better things to do.
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Congratulations to the Malayan Bank on the occasion of its second Anniversary on September 8, 2010. Malayan Bank, a savings bank owned by the principal shareholders of GMA Network Inc., LINQ Information Entertainment Quadrant Corporation and Majalco Inc., has established one branch in Cebu, located at T. Padilla area. In 15 years, Malayan Bank had been able to establish 15 branches nationwide, and it also plans to add more branches starting this year, including the opening of second branch in Cebu to be opened by the first quarter of next year.
Erratum: I would like to apologize for writing in my previous column that "seven of the ten top-notchers in the most recent nursing examination came from Cebu." This is misleading. It should have been said that seven nursing students from Cebu's schools made it to the top ten in the recent nursing examination. My apologies. Thanks to Miss Ma. Jovie for pointing this out.
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