Malu Fernandez: What’s Economy Class?
By Yan • Aug 18th, 2007 • Category: Random TidbitsIt seems that the pinoy blogosphere has united under a common hatred for one Malu Fernandez, a self-proclaimed “diva” who, by her own admission, needs 17 kg of makeup and accessories to look remotely human.
More eloquent bloggers have already said their piece. There is nothing I can possibly add to further convince the world how big (and I mean that in the most literal sense) a nincompoop Manila Standard Today columnist Malu Fernandez really is.
But oh, how she must love the attention – the most that she has gotten in her “illustrious” writing career. For who has heard of this Malu anyway? All signs indicate that she’s just a sad, lonely woman who gets kicks out of exaggerating the details of her so-called fabulous lifestyle and alleged wealth (what baffles me is why she can’t afford a freakin liposuction). Her insubstantial writing does nothing but magnify the emptiness of her life. If I don’t loathe her so much, I’d actually pity her.
Much as I hated wasting precious hours of my time on this ugly pig, the dormant psychologist in me needed some answers. As Gen puts it (somewhat mockingly, if I might add), I believe that people are inherently good. There must be something – anything – that explains her almost obscene bravado and reckless condescension.
So, I googled her. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but I wasn’t really surprised to find out that other than the barrage of hostile posts from enraged bloggers, there is absolutely no information available on the Malu Fernandez in question.
Where are all the “friends” whose names she reverently drops between ill-conceived lines touting superficiality, vanity, and arrogance? Where are the members of the jet set class who found her deplorable article so funny? Where are all her politician relatives whose efforts, as she flippantly hints, absolve her of her unrepentant egocentricity? Where is her family?
Why are they not defending one of their kind? Or are they too shamed by the idiotic ramblings of an insignificant, overeager “journalist” who regards elitism as some form of religion?
When I showed the controversial article to Gen – the reluctant IS-bred, Melbourne-schooled member of the elite crowd, so reluctant that she actually wears a pair of Islander slippers in intercontinental flights (no kidding!) – she laughed at me for building up too much steam. In response to my incensed ranting, she only had this to say: “Yan, what’s economy class?”
That comment would get Jojo all fired up, but that is so typically Genee. And if you know her as well as I do, you would know that her words translate to: “Who is this woman and who gave her the right?”
Amen.
If you were to believe Malu Fernandez, anyway, she hardly needs the few bucks that a local paper could scrape for her words of non-wisdom.
Or maybe she does need the money to save up for a much-needed liposuction? One wonders. But one hardly cares.
The Anti-Malu Fernandez movement:
Malu Fernandez: The Perceived Reality of a Diva
Tingog
On the Democracy of the Pinoy Blogosphere a.k.a Malu Fernandez, Take Your Cue
Caffeine Sparks
More on The Diva or was it Di Na Bale (Never Mind) Malu Fernandez
Pedestrian Observer
Still more on “La Diva Loca”
Taroogs
Malu Fernandez: The Hate Continues
Azrael
Updates:
Malu Fernandez: Kudos and Apologies
Malu Fernandez Refuses to Fade into Oblivion
Related posts
Yan (a.k.a. Yannie, YanYan) is a young-ish entrepreneur, writer, poet, artist, graphic designer, web geek, lover, friend, daughter, connoisseur, gourmand, amateur chef, coffee addict, control freak, and incessant dreamer. Not necessarily in that order.
© 2008 FubarGenre | All posts by Yan
this blog entry was very well written. no profanity, just level-headed analysis.
nice site
you should also see what’s posted about Malu Fernandez at these blogs:
http://selvo.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/mahaderang-matapobre-sa-ofws/
http://jaefever.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/bitter-spiteful-snob/#comments
if only posts and comments could kill…
shame on her!
the editor of Manila Standard trying to do some damage control by disclaiming Malu as part of their writer but on his second comment on my blog he accept that Malu was really their writer but only on sundays. No wonder… editor doesnt know their writers. tsk tsk
Ang OFW at Malu Fernandez isang Elitistang manunulat!
Fire Malu Fernandez, Boycott Manila Standard, and People Asia Magazine
i think this is her
http://www.friendster.com/user.php?uid=5282975#moreabout_1_5
To the person who posted her friendster, yeah I think so. The infamous Ron is there, too. Although she should revisit her extensive make-up kit and re-think her use of uber-white foundation. Is she ashamed of her skin-color, too?
On Malu Fernandez: Bruises on her knees due to tight seats? Doesn’t this woman know that there is such a thing as First Class on an aircraft where she could have “fenced” herself off the horde of AXE smelling OFWs? Entonces, can’t afford the higher class airfare. And she was clueless about Dubai being the hub of Emirates Airlines? Saang kangkongan ba talaga pinulot itong matapobreng baboy na ito at kailangan ng 17 kilos of make up and accessories para magmukhang tao?
Understandably, The Manila Standard Today, received a few emails of complaint, so Malu Fernandez decided to respond.
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!
By : Malu Fernandez
Do not waste your resources picking on a nobody who’s seeking for national publicity. This world is full of suckers, and it’s how she effectively got into the senses of those who reacted to her article. For sure she’s smilng reading all your reactions.
Hello Yan!
You’re welcome for linkie, and actually, I (and I’m sure all Filipinos) should thank you for your Malu mental analysis post. *sigh* It doesn’t make it any easier to forgive her, though.
Just to clear something up - I apologize for assuming that you, to quote you, “came from money or belong to money”. I just sort of thought so because you said you had friends who were of the same socioeconomic background.
I hope you weren’t insulted or anything. I didn’t mean it to be that way, I swear. (n_n)
And as for Malu holding out on all the noise - it seems to me that any move she makes at this point will work against her (but she seems like the deeper-grave-digger type, doesn’t she?) except maybe if she apologizes, but I can honestly say that a contrite Malu Fernandez does NOT fit her profile.
That’s all. Good day to you!!
She maybe rich in things but she is poor in spirit. You see she already said God sent her to her private hell, and Iam sure she surely gonna go to hell with this kind of characteristics. Baka maging kanang kamay sya dun.. Kaawaawa kang babaeng nilalang sa mundong ito, hindi ko ba alam kung ano ang nagagawa ng OFW sa pinas at nilait mo sila ng ganun ganun na lamang. Ikaw ang nakakatawa kasi ginawa mong katawatawa ang kalagayan mo. Naku naman 17kg. ng make up para lang matakpan ang mukha mo. Hehe yun ang talagang nakakatawa.
Sino kaya ang nagpalaki sa iyo?
Yes kawawa naman si Malu. She begs for attention.
Naawa cguro sya sa sarili nya when she boarded Emirates dahil mas mabango ang nga OFW na kasama nya. Becoz Filipinos here in Dubai does not buy AXE and Charlie cologne for their perfume, noh! Binaligtad bah.
Hello,
I am Jerome Herrera. I am the owner of Pinoy Penster Community, a website for Amateur and Professional Filipino Writers. I was wondering if we could exchange links. This will give your blog/website a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to our hundreds of visitors everyday. If you are interested, please email me at jeromeherrera2006@gmail.com. Pinoy Penster Community is located at http://penster.fyi.ph
well, she thinks that maybe thru her writing she will become famous pero nagpakauwaw lang jud.
Princess Leia, Kid Kilatis, Jun, Illegal Alien, Carol, Mon, Dubai Paramedic, Primo, Pong, Arman, Salome, and Estan: Thank you for sharing your insights.
Took me long enough to respond. My apologies. I’ve had a tough week.
As of this writing, the anti-Malu Fernandez campaign is over. The fight has been won. And I’m only too happy to move on.
@Princess Leia & Pong: I am flattered that you consider my post an “analysis”, but it really isn’t. I didn’t even try. It’s just the furious rambling of an angered twit.
This, on the other hand, is an intelligent dissection of the so-called controversy:
Where Humor Ends
by Connie Veneracion (of Sassy Lawyer fame)
And this:
On Malu Fernandez: Why I’m angry
by Jorge Cosgayon
Couldn’t have said it better.
Don’t metion it Yan, yours was one of the 1st blogs I found well worth the read esp. regarding the Malu Bru-ha-ha.
Keep up the great blog!
& nice to meet you!
Carol
One more thing..PUNTAHAN nyo ang website ni Amy Chua (Professor sa Yale) nag-publish ng libro…kung papaano nya LAITIN at INSULTOHIN ang mga Pilipinos.read EXCERPTS from her book talking about the Pinoys na puros mga KATULONG lang daw at MADUDUMI.Pag nabasa mo na ito.Then I-SHARE mo then sa iba.
Hi, Carol. Thanks. I’m flattered.
And nice to meet you, too. 
PS: I have mixed feelings about my blog getting some attention during the whole Malu F brouhaha. On one hand, it’s great to actually have other people (outside my family and circle of friends. heh) reading my posts. On the other hand, I’m really, really shy. I’m not sure if I still feel comfortable exposing my writing to a wider audience. But then again, if I’m that shy, I shouldn’t have created a blog, huh? lol.
Amado, thanks for the info. You didn’t leave a link, though.
First of all, I would like to thank MALU FERNANDEZ for her article, lahat naman ng sinabi nya ay KATOTOHANAN. The TRUTH HURTS diba? At ano ang TOTOO? The TRUTH is ang KABULUKAN sa MUNDO. The struggle between “the HAVE” and “HAVE NOTS”, the poor “OFW’s” and the rich “SOB’s”, the “COMMON PEOPLE” and the “ELITISTAS”. The truth is most (not all) rich people are really insensitive and insulting to the poor or the middle class, believe me I know. I came from a middle class family, nag-aral ako sa isang maliit na school noong elementary and after graduating I transferred to an exclusive school sa makati, dito ko na naranasan ang DISCRIMINATION and INSULTS from this so-called ELITISTAS. I felt kung hindi mo sila kasing YAMAN, you don’t have the right to be there. Some of the RICH really seems to have NO HEARTS, walang awa talaga kung magbitiw ng salita. Parang they can get away with anything dahil MAYAMAN sila. Still I have no bitterness nor hatred, I just felt sorry that rich people are mostly like that, GOOD on the OUTSIDE and real BAD on the INSIDE. I just want to say that I know it is not easy to FORGET, but definitely we have to FORGIVE. Let’s pray that ALL of US CHANGE for the better and follow GOD’s commandments, not just a few, but ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS. Its time to let GO and let GOD decide…. Truly the LORD said “Blessed are they who are POOR for they shall inherit the land.” And “It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a RICH man to enter the KINGDOM of HEAVEN. AMEN
The article was forwarded to me by my cousin from the Philippines.
I have read it and it’s insulting indeed for an OFW like me here in Europe. I’m not fond of picking holes in somebody’s ideas… but this one just hit me, big time! I cannot help but criticize the insensitivities behind the article.
I am an OFW, is there anything wrong with being one? Filipinos overseas are often commended for our good command of written and spoken English, coupled by our ability to quickly adapt to an accent. That’s one thing to brag about being a Filipino, overseas. I raise my head high, I’m proud to be a Filipino. I will always be, wherever I will go.
And what’s with the smell of Axe and Charlie colognes? Aren’t they more pleasant than smelling nothing at all? Didn’t we all start with baby colognes?
It’s disgusting how publications choose articles nowadays to merely draw attention. The article does not have a sense of style, does not even live up with its title.
What makes this arrogant lady think that we would be enticed with her so-called ’sophistication’ and ‘good taste’? Certainly a waste of space and a cheap form of endorsement!
Her fabulous account of her elite statusque does not make her more brilliant. It simply shows what’s inside the writer’s mind…
To deduce? There’s no sign of intelligence, not even an inch of eloquence nor a dash of wits. How pathetic!
Too bad, she has her own private hell.. she will never get any chance to be near me.
TOP 6 THINGS MALU FERNANDEZ SHOULD DO TO MAKE AMENDS WITH OFWs
1. APOLOGIZE PERSONALLY ON NATIONAL TV.
Written apology is highly unacceptable because it utterly diminishes (I’ll use your own semaphore) or evaporates your sincerity into thin air. But please don’t just say the most popular phrase on TV: “I… AM… SORRY…Show the right body language and eye contact on TV as you make that historic apology to 9-million OFWs. No excretions please.
2. SPEARHEAD A WELCOME PARTY FOR RETURNING OFWs AT THE 2 AIRPORTS.
Just endure the tongue lashing rhetorics and even slap in your face of our kabayans. Bring Caladryl or Loreal to soften your swollen cheek.
3. DONATE REAL EXPENSIVE PERFUME TO RETURNING DOMESTIC HELPERS
Give away 10 Imperial Majesty perfume by Clive Christian to our beloved DHs via raffle as additional pasalubong to their families. IM is the most expensive perfume in the world at US$ 215,000 per 16.9 ounce bottle, in case you are cerebrally uneducated of the ‘taxonomy’ of perfume, that’s US$2,150 per ounce perfume (forget your rubbish Jo Malone). Do this for 2-weeks. Buy the perfume from http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:xZYODl4DqqAJ:www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2006/02/03/most-expensive-perfumes-cx_sb_0203fashion3_ls.html+most+expensive+perfume&hl=tl&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ph&client=firefox-a
4. COMMUNITY SERVICE TO OFW FAMILIES
Cook, wash, clean the house, etc. of 4 OFW families residing in Sapang Bato squatter area, Essensa East Forbes, Quiapo Muslim community area and La Vista for 4-weeks
5. BISITA IGLESIA ESTE MALLS WITH “I AM SORRY” PLACARD STRAPPED IN YOUR BODY
Start from SM Davao, Victoria Mall; SM Cagayan De Oro, Lim Ket Kai; Gaisano Gen San; Gaisano Butuan; SM Cebu, Ayala Mall, Gaisano Cebu; Gaisano Tacloban; SM Iloilo, Gaisano Iloilo; NCC Palawan, gaisano Legaspi; Megamall, Mall of Asia, Shangrila, Podium, The Block, Trinoma, Powerplant, SM Baguio, etc. do this in 4-weeks.
6. WORK AS AS DOMESTIC HELPER IN DUBAI FOR 1-YEAR
Experience first hand the difficulties and challenges of being an OFW, then tell us afterwards if it is worth it to make fun (Bubble Gang-style) of OFWs specifically our respectable Domestic Helpers.
MGA KABAYANS, if you can add something… just write it..
P.S. Btw, the stinky smell that your acute olfactory nerves have detected on that Emirates Economy came from the cellular vapors of most our middle eastern friends who are fond of eating spicy dishes. These vapors have found themselves trapped in air-con exchange ducts, seat fabric, carpet, etc.
Cris Ibarra
Chief Finance Officer
(in one of the Financial Security Firm in Dubai)
One’s class is not shown by the seat one purchases on an airplane. It is shown by how a person respects other people.
Tip to Malu: the next time you take Coach Class from Manila to Athens and your olfactory nerves are violated by people who you feel are beneath you, do NOT bitch and write about it. Rather, grin, bear it, and immediately take a sleeping pill!
Remember everyone, you can be First Class even if you’re traveling Coach.
Maybe we can get a class action suit to this ‘thing’ malu fernandez - anybody cares to offer any legal advise so we can fuck this swine and the publication to jail?
This cock-sucker must have done everyone from the editor to the janitor that’s why they have to publish the garbage she wrote!
Remember this, even the devil himself can say sorry, but will be laughing behind our backs!
Hindi ganon kadaling magpatawad sa mga taong “MATAPOBRE” na katulad ni malu “BABOY”FERNANDEZ, hindi sapat ang public apolOgy ng baboy na ito, dapat ding mag public apology ang MANILA STANDARD AT PEOPLE ASIA MAGAZINE. responsibilidad nilang magkaroon ng matinong entries sa kanilang babasahin, at responsibilidad ng kanilang editor ang tingnan kung karapat dapat bang ilabas ang isang artikulo o hindi, maging responsable sana sila sa kanilang trabaho, sa artikulong katulad nito, ang higit na dapat magbigay ang PUBLIC APOLOGY AY ANG MANILA STANDARD AT ANG PEOPLE ASIA MAGAZINE. maaring iisang uri sila ng “baboy”na si malu fernandez na isa DAKILANG MATAPOBRE. maaring ang editor ng dalawang walang kwentang babasahin ay mga “MATAPOBRE RIN” DI MALAYONG MANGAYARI YON.
At ang isa pang napapansin ko kung may ganitong mainit na usapin dati rati nag-uunahan ang mga pangunahing pahayagan na ilathala ang ganitong isyu bakit kaya ngayon parang limitado? dati ang abante at ang abante-tonite ang halos naglalathala ng mga maiinit na isyu bakit kaya ngayon parang umiiwas sila dahil kaya kauri nila ang INVOLVED? di malayong mag-isip ang ibang OFW’s sa mga ganitong sitwasyon. di nyo ba napapansin sa internet lang uminit ang usapin, i been searching through the internet sa lahat ng pahayagan pero wala akong napansin na sinulat nila ng pangyayaring ito. Bakit kaya mga kababayan?
DAPAT DING IPANAWAGAN NATING MGA OFW’S ANG PAGLABAS NG MANILA STANDARD AT PEOPLE ASIA MAGAZINE NG PUBLIC APOLOGY DAHIL NAGPABAYA SILANG MAILABAS ANG ISANG NAKAKAHINDIK NA PANLALAIT SA ATING MGA OFW’S.
angel85: I really don’t care if I’m ostracized for wearing ukay-ukay instead of Valentino. So hindi ako apektado sa mga panlalait ng mga mayayaman. Nagkamali lang si Malu in choosing her medium. Ipagmalaki ba naman ang kanyang kayabangan? (phew! ang hirap mag-tagalog. bisaya po kasi. hahaha.)
Loreal: I wish you had written that article instead of Malu.
I bet you can teach her a thing or two about sophistication.
Cris: I nearly fell off my seat laughing. hahaha.
Zippo: I like that. “You can be first class even if you’re traveling Coach.” (that’s profound on so many levels)
JC:
wag naman ganyan.
bicalono_in_middle_east: Been wondering the same thing, quite frankly. Wala pa bang official statement from either Manila Standard or People Asia?
Mga kapatid,
Ako ay bumangon sa aking pagkakatayo sa rotonda ng Caloocan upang huling ipagtanggol ang aking inaaping kababayan na ngayon ay nangibang bayan dahil sa hirap ng buhay na dinaranas sa sariling bayan. Napakapait isipin na kapwa Pilipino pa ang manlalait sa kanyang kapatid sa dugo, kulay, pananalita, pangong ilong, at ng nasabi ng isa nating kaibigan - kasing amoy ng utot at ewan pa…
Hindi pa tapos ang laban, ipahiwatig natin ang ating puot sa pamamagitan ng pagpunit ng sedula, este, pagliham sa mga kinauukulan ng pahayagang Manila Standard at sa People Asia Magazine ng ating mga sentimiento. Sila din ay dapat managot dahil pinayagan nilang mailathala ang mga masasakit at hindi makataong paratang ng hitad na si Malu Fernandez. Sa ganitong paraan ay mapapadama natin sa kanila ang ating damdamin, hindi lang sa espasyong ito.
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=contact_us
at sa
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=employeeDirectory
at
http://peopleasia.multiply.com/
Huwag kayong mahiya sa inyong nais ipahiwatig kung sa tingin nyo ay mga elitista lang ang nagbabasa sa kanilang mga lathala. Kung ang pakay naman nila ay dumami ang magpunta sa kanilang sapot-lugar, pwes, tambakan natin sila ng liham hanggang umapaw ito sa kanilang tagapag-silbing kompyuter.
Hindi ako nagbuwis ng buhay dahil lamang ang aking mga apo ay mag-aaway dahil lang sa ganito. (Kung sa bagay, kapwa ko rin Pilipino ang yumare sa akin pero ibang istorya na iyon, hehe). Datapwat sa tagal ng pagkakatayo ko sa Monumento, naninigas na ang mga braso ko.
Hala, simulan na ang laban.
sumasainyo,
Andy
Being an OFW myself, I hereby give Malu F. the following option to redeem herself:
Option 1
By all means, SLASH YOUR WRISTS.
Please take some aspirin to prevent blood clots prior to this.
Option 2
PICK ANOTHER COUNTRY for your self-exile. Say… 50 years. And don’t even think of flying again Emirates unless you have your chute on.
Option 3
POP MORE SLEEPING PILLS. Hope you R.I.P. forever
this time.
Option 4
All of the above.
I’m 5ft 5 in, medium-built… i always fly in economy class but i never had bruises… i fly with etihad (from abu dhabi), emirates uses the same type of aircraft going to MNL (which is the Boeing 777). So, im just curious, how huge is Ms. Malu to have those bruises? And yeah, she should have bought a business class ticket!
Kasi naman hindi siya kasya sa coach di ba…
Tito Andy, mabuhay po kayo. At maligayang araw ng mga bayani!
HCGJr, ayessa, and Tingting Rimart: thanks for dropping by.
mga kaibigan si malu baboy fernandez ay nasa manila standard pa rin i think we need to do something more about it.. check nyo po ang link na ito….
http://www.yugatech.com/blog/curious/the-divalicious-will-resume-next-monday/
fellow OFW’s WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
“Responses to an OFW-Basher”
By Jerick T Aguilar
After shamelessly writing about her summer trip to Boracay and Greece in the June 2007 issue of People Asia magazine, this columnist was found guilty of character assassination of our overseas Filipino domestic helpers regardless of the fact that they have never wronged her, except – in her opinion – for being on the same economy flight that everyone is entitled to. As a writer and traveler myself, please find below my notes on some of the things she wrote. I may also be guilty of character assassination but at least mine is not baseless and I think of this more as defending our fellow “kababayans” working abroad.
“But I was too ashamed to ditch my friends and forego the huge amount I already paid for my share of the villa.” – Outright pretentious! People rent and share villas in Boracay to save on expensive hotel charges per night so writing that she paid a “huge amount” is plainly preposterous!
“Meanwhile, when all of this was going on, I was on the cell phone …” – Proper English writing uses the conjunction “while” when it is followed by the progressive (this case in the past) and interrupted by the simple tense – so “while all of this was going on, I was …” – I thought a columnist for a magazine (and newspaper) would have a knowledge of English much better than a domestic helper’s!
“Ron is my travel buddy … so between his schedule and mine, the logistics are a nightmare.” – “Logistics” is a non-countable noun and, hence, is always followed by a singular verb – so “… logistics is a nightmare.” Ditto!
“Emirates had won best economy class and some award.” – “Award”, on the other hand, is a countable noun (i.e. it has singular and plural forms) and the modifier “some” means more than one – so “… some awards.” – My, oh my! Our housemaid even knows better English than her!
“I forgot that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) were stationed there.” – Duh?!? Majority of OFWs are in Saudi Arabia, unless she doesn’t know what the word “majority” means. And another duh! To be “stationed” means to stay in one place – it’s obvious that our OFWs don’t just stay there, she was with them while traveling back to the Philippines.
“Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them.” – Okay, a plane is a form of public transportation so the preposition “on” instead of “in” is used (e.g. on a bus, on a train, etc.) so “… trapped on a plane …” Yeah, she should’ve slashed her wrist in order to prevent writing more grammatical mistakes! (I hope her readers do not know that she is Filipino! Nakakahiya kung ganoon! – Sorry but the English translation does not suffice!)
“… I would never risk losing if my luggage ended up in the middle of the Sahara desert.” – Her plane took off from Dubai then landed in Athens where the flight plan is northeast of the Sahara desert, unless there was a stopover in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Now is she really a traveler or was it just her first time to travel?…
“… the seats were so small I had bruises …” – Okay, didn’t she mention that Emirates had won best economy class? So I wonder if the seats were so small or she was simply so big?
“Domestic helper ka rin ba?” – She wrote this question as if she overheard it while dozing off. I bet she was actually asked this question. I mean, I would whether or not I were a domestic helper given her fashion sense in the pictures (not at all to demean the clothing style of our domestic helpers but one cannot really differentiate hers from theirs).
“… the weather report on CNN … was wrong because it was still winter.” – Hold on, summer in the Philippines from April to June is already spring in Europe. And even if the European winter in March extended till April, Greece is in the Mediterranean so it would’ve already been warm by then. So was it really a cold winter while she was there or she just wanted to impress her readers by mentioning the word “throw” as a noun and not as the usual verb (and by wearing it to look less fat in the picture)?
“I adamantly wanted to go to Santorini … but due to time constraints, we were unable to go.” – Talk about being pretentious again! She intentionally forgot to mention “money” as another constraint! Didn’t she just write that she had to fly economy?
“I guess God was watching out for us.” – And now she thinks God was after writing that God had sent her to her own private hell being on a plane with “those domestics”. One of the rules of journalism is to be consistent (aside from having perfect English, of course!) so I guess she is the exception.
“This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can …” – Another cardinal rule of journalism is to avoid redundancy so a “fish” in a sardine can sounds much better. I don’t think she’s a traveler, I don’ think she’s a journalist either… What is she then? An abomination?
“… with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while my Jo Malone evaporated into thin air.” – Interesting how she made reference to Jo Malone in which a perfume wardrobe costs more than $1,000 yet she had to take the economy flight to Athens and back…
“But for a couple of weeks, I had the great escape …” – What was that again? A “couple of weeks” when she wrote beforehand of her “time constraints”? Greece is not China so a visit to Santorini from Athens can be squeezed even within a week of staying there. And before that, she wrote “Pick a country!” as if she can go anywhere she wants to. But she ended up saving on her plane ticket only to be “trapped” with OFWs and “smelling like air freshener”. She is the height of pretension indeed!
Three things to my “supposed” fellow writer and traveler – first off, if you have to write something in English, do not forget the simple rules of grammar so you do not cause intellectual harm to the people reading your article. Secondly, if you do not have money to pay for a business class fare, then don’t complain if you are surrounded by OFWs who can only afford an economy flight. As a final note, I suggest you thank these OFWs instead of demeaning them! If it weren’t for the billions of foreign currency remittances that our country regularly receives from them, the instability and depreciation of the peso-dollar exchange rate would’ve prohibited you from traveling to Greece in the first place (and buying that Jo Malone, assuming you already did)!
WELL SAID MR. AGUILAR! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!! GOD BLESS SIR!
There really isn’t any need to insult Ms. Fernandez further; I think she’s quite miserable on her own. I’ve encountered her enough to know that she’s pretentious and obnoxious. I also know that although her family may have some affluence, I certainly would never include her among the truly high-end of Philippine society she aspires to associate herself with. Sure she may orbit the circle, but she lacks the financial gravitas to truly live the lifestyle at that level. But even that aside, her complete lack of finer sensibilities or circumspect in her utterances indicate a mistaken concept of how the higher strata generally operate. The upper-crust manner, in my humble opinion, is one where there is the absence of a need to prove it to anyone. The traditionally rich guard the private details of their lives, perhaps just sharing it with a few intimates. Bragging about the inconsequential accoutrements of “the fabulous life” as Ms. Fernandez does in article after article, smacks more of an arriviste rather than a person already “to the manor born.” The classic signs are all there - name-dropping, an obsession with expensive accessories (and the need to highlight the brand), the feeling of entitlement, the clear disdain and lack of empathy for those she feels are not of her strata. It must be very difficult for her to constantly try to keep up with a crowd she just can’t keep up with financially. If she could she would have easily bought a first-class ticket and we would have all been spared of her tirade.
Feeling alienated from a crowd she so desperately wants to be a part of must make her very frustrated. Many bloggers also made fun of her portliness. I would imagine that the insults concerning her weight we’re not the first time she had heard such comments. She was physically large when I met her, and she still is to this day. There must also be a great deal of frustration in not being able to lose the weight. Part of being “Fierce and Fabulous” is the glam-factor. Obesity isn’t generally considered glamorous. There is so much out of her control that I can only imagine her seething anger as she sat in economy with her fellow Filipinos from Dubai. Powerless to do anything to extricate her from that circumstance, she lashed out by berating them, by trying to convince people that although she sat in economy with them, she is not one of them. She is high class and they are not. That kind of venom, that kind of irrational anger is so deep-seated that it can only come from a life she felt she had no control of – much like her weight and her social status.
I actually didn’t hear about this issue till last week. Medyo huli na sa balita. It’s not that easy to follow current events when you’re an OFW.
Like you, I was also offended by Malu’s article. I hope you can find time to read my post titled, One Voice (An OFW’s reaction to Malu Fernandez’s “From Greece to Boracay”). I posted it here: http://lestercavestany.com/?p=10
Cheers
Lester
: :twisted
Malu Fernandez…. I CANT BELIEVE THIS FAT OVERGROWN, ILLITERATE, IGNORARNT, UNEDUCATED OBESE BIT* IS TRYING TO COMMENT ON ANYONE. FIRST OF ALL YOU ARE UGLY AND NOBODY GIVES A SHI& ABOUT YOUR OPINIONS ON ANYONE… MALU FERNANDEZ… WHO THE FUC* DO YOU THINK YOU ARE… YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A BIG FAT TUB OF LARD. YOU ARE NOT A HUMAN YOU ARE A FUC*IN MONSTER AND KARMA WILL HAVE ITS WAY WITH YOU…. FAT FUC*IN BITC*