FIL-AM COMMUNITY GROUPS TO MEET WITH ABC's EXEC IN NY TO DEMAND MORE CONCRETE MEASURES OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISCUSS NATURE OF APOLOGY
Press Release
Washington D.C.
New York,New York
October 4, 2007
Reference:
Arnedo S. Valera, Esquire
Executive Director - MIGRANT HERITAGE COMMISSION (MHC)
Migrantheritage@aol.com
www.migrantheritage.org
Rico Foz
Executive Vice-President - NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR FILIPINO CONCERNS (NAFCON)
nafconusa@yahoo.com
FIL-AM COMMUNITY GROUPS TO MEET WITH ABC's EXEC IN NY TO DEMAND MORE CONCRETE MEASURES OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISCUSS NATURE OF APOLOGY
ABC Television Network facing an impending picket and protest in front of Manhattan's ABC Studios on 77 West 66th Street, NY, NY, October 5 at 6 pm, and October 6 (noontime) at ABC Office, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 (Metro Washington D.C.), agreed to meet with the Filipino-American Delegation led by NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR FILIPINO CONCERNS (NAFCON), PHILIPPINE FORUM AND the MIGRANT HERITAGE COMMISSION (MHC). As mounting protests and international condemnation for the racial slur made by Actress Teri Hatcher in a scene with a doctor in Sunday's episode of "Desperate Housewives" where she remarked: "Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas?Because I would like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines."
Robert Mendez, Esquire, Senior-Vice President for Diversity and Talent Development of ABC NETWORK had a very cordial and pleasant telephone conversation with Arnedo S. Valera, Esquire, Executive Director of the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) and legal counsel of NAFCON this evening and both agreed to meet in Trump Plaza Hotel in New York at 5 P.M. tomorrow, October 5th, four blocks away from the organized community picket led by NAFCON and PHILIPPINE FORUM. As a good faith gesture to the Filipino Community, ABC’s Mr. Mendez assured Mr. Valera that the controversial episode will be edited and the scene permanently cut and never again be shown even in re runs, DVD set or any format for sale or rent. Likewise in exchange of goodwill with Mr. Valera, Mr. Mendez agreed to listen to the demands for more concrete measures of accountability to be presented by the Filipino-American Community panel group led by NAFCON, PHILIPPINE FORUM AND THE MIGRANT HERITAGE COMMISSION (MHC). He further promised to seriously address all the demands and concerns of the picketing groups.
The picket in front of Manhattan's ABC Studios at 77 West 66th is supported by the following organizations : The New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, NAFFAA, Anak Bayan, Movement for Free Philippines, FILIPINAS FOR RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT (FIRE), KABALIKAT and the SENTOSA ++ NURSES.
The picket in Metropolitan Washington D.C. on Saturday, 6 October is to be led by the Philippine Medical Association of Metro Washington D.C. (PMAMW) and MD to be supported by various Fil-Am organizations, among them are the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) DC and MD and the MIGRANT HERITAGE COMMISSION (MHC).
Rico Foz of NAFCON, BERNADETTE ELLORIN of PHILIPPINE FORUM, a representative of the medical community and Arnedo S. Valera, Esquire of the MIGRANT HERITAGE COMMISSION will lead the panel that will present the demands of the organized picketing groups to ABC Senior Vice President, Mr. Robert Mendez.
Among the demands to be presented are: ABC Network Broadcast Public Apology and not simply a one paragraph statement; Conduct a complete and thorough investigation of those responsible for writing the reprehensible and racial slur script line; ABC to conduct racial and cultural sensitivity programs for all employees ; ABC should make a categorical and unequivocal statement that it recognizes the significant contribution of Philippine Health Care professionals especially our doctors, nurses and other health care givers to the entire U.S Health Care System because of their competence and high quality of skills; A sincere and proper apology to the Filipino People and the nation and the Fil-Am community groups for disparaging and maligning the Philippine Educational System and the expressed racial prejudice to Filipino doctors and physicians; ABC will commit to make episodes and shows that will depict Filipinos and other minority groups as prominent positive role models of the community and that ABC agrees to support Filipino-American Community projects that will strengthen racial diversity and harmony in local communities and at the national level.
NAFCON promised to organize more peaceful ,continuous and sustained pickets and protests together with various Filipino-American groups and minority groups in the country until the demands are substantially met.
