MANILA, Philippines - Filipino diplomats are apparently ready to forgive controversial Hong Kong columnist Chip Tsao by lifting the ban on the Chinese writer’s entry to the Philippines, after he earlier described the country as a “nation of servants.”
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson J. Eduardo Malaya said lifting of the ban on the entry to the Philippines of Tsao, a writer of HK Magazine, was recommended by the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong after he issued a public apology and personally went to the consulate to convey his “most sincere” apologies for branding the Philippines a nation of servants due to the many Filipino domestic helpers working in the territory.
“In view of the recent formal apology by Mr. Chip Tsao, the DFA is studying the recommendation of the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong for the Bureau of Immigration to lift the ban on the possible entry of Mr. Tsao to the Philippines,” Malaya said.
Tsao indicated his interest to visit the country during his visit to the consulate last April 1.
The Filipino community in Hong Kong pushed through with the protest on Sunday against the racist column of Tsao.
The United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK) said the Sunday rally was against racist write-up as the group also sought to resolve the roots of racism and discrimination against OFWs.
The UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK said the protest action should send a “loud and clear message” that Filipinos, especially domestic helpers, will not take racial slurs and class discrimination sitting down.
Tsao issued a public apology last Tuesday but he was quick in justifying his use of the word servant as “sacred,” saying people are all servants of God.
“The ‘servant’ is a good term. A Hong Kong government official is a civil servant. We are all servants to God, right? I’m now aware that I’ve crossed the line and I offer my public apology,” Tsao said.
Tsao’s controversial article entitled “The War at Home” published last March 27 described the Philippines as “a nation of servants” not worthy to claim the Spratly Islands from China. The article and Tsao’s profile photo have been pulled out of the online edition of HK Magazine.