Malu Fernandez: Kudos and Apologies
By Yan • Aug 23rd, 2007 • Category: Random TidbitsApparently, our message has been heard. Malu Fernandez has officially resigned from Manila Standard Today and People Asia Magazine.
Earlier this Evening
I was lying down on my stomach, busily answering emails from clients, when my sister buzzed me through YM:
“Ate, turn on your TV! Hurry!”
Annoyed, I snapped her an abrupt “?” with a mean-looking smiley to boot.
It took her a few minutes to type back, “Malu Fernandez just resigned!”
Of course, by the time I got out of bed and turned on the TV, it was all too late. Dang, I missed the sweet moment of victory for all Pinoy OFWs worldwide.
My sister, typically, had little more to share. “Basta, she resigned,” was all she could muster before typing a hurried, “Bye, Te. I’m busy.” Translation: “Oh phooey, I can’t be bothered!” Translation: I knew I needed to look for more substantial details from a different source.
[Update: Marhgil was kind enough to give me a link to the ABS-CBN broadcast in YouTube.]
The Statement
That was roughly five hours ago. A late dinner with Mark temporarily sidetracked me. By the time I got back to dig for more information, some blogs were already abuzz with news of Malu Fernandez’s resignation. The following statement has also generated some interest:
Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy
I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled ‘From Boracay to Greece!’ which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.
As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )
I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.
People seem to question the validity and origins of said statement. But with TV Patrol’s broadcast earlier this evening, I think that it’s safe to assume that the fight’s over. We’ve won.
Update: Manila Standard columnist quits after getting OFWs’ ire
Thank you, Malu
Malu Fernandez, I commend you for finally swallowing your pride. I know that this must have been extremely difficult for you. I am proud of you for doing the right thing. Your apology sounds genuinely sincere. For that, I thank you.
I apologize, Malu
I am deeply shamed for using the words “ugly” and “pig” in the course of my incensed ranting. I reacted harshly in anger, and I now realize that your weight problem has nothing to do with the issue at hand.
I do not take back the rest of my statement. I believe that I am justified in my anger. I believe that those things had to be said. I believe that you needed a good doze of your own medicine. I believe that you deserved every bit of hatred and malicious attacks thrown your way. Yes, Malu, you deserved all that, and you know it.
But I did not mean to be insensitive towards overweight people. And you are right at hinting that fat jokes, wry allusions to your body, and whatnot are themselves a form of discrimination and bigotry. For that, I am deeply shamed. And I apologize.
Moving On
In the course of this controversy, we have all learned a valuable lesson. We, Filipinos, when attacked, are capable of fighting as one against a common enemy (no matter how insignificant). I am really impressed at the passion and energy invested in this campaign.
I can only hope that we can channel this same intensity into fighting the more pressing issues plaguing our country.
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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
Someone captured the TV Patrol World report. It’s on Youtube now…
see it here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ewQ7SDZp-3k
yey!
thanks for the heads up, marhgil! I really appreciate it!
I’M STILL NOT CONVINCED WITH HER RESIGNATION…IF SHE SHOWED HERSELF ON TV AND APOLOGIZED ON AIR, IT WOULD APPEAR MORE CONVINCING TO ME…BUT ABS-CBN REPORTED THAT SHE REFUSED TO FACE THE CAMERA TO AIR HER SIDE OF THE CONTROVERSY…A WRITTEN APOLOGY..?..WAS IT THE PROPER SITE TO POST A LETTER OF APOLOGY…????…RESIGNATION..??..DID SHE REALLY RESIGN..???..IN A COLUMN AT MANILA STANDARD ENTITLED “WHERE RUMOR ENDS” BY SASSY LAWER CONNIE VENERACION , SHE DWELLED ON MALOU’S ARTICLE THAT HAD CAUSED AN UPROAR FROM AMONG THE OFW’s….YES, THE WRITER MENTIONED ABOUT THE CALL FOR A BOYCOTT ON MANILA STANDARD AND PEOPLE ASIA, THE DIFFERENT COMMENT THREADS THAT CONTAIN NAME CALLING TOWARDS MALOU AND THE OFW’s CALL FOR MALOU’s RESIGNATION FROM MANILA STANDARD…HHHHHHMMMMM…BUT SHE NEVER MENTIONED THAT SHE REALLY DID RESIGN…..MANILA STANDARD AND PEOPLE ASIA SHOULD HAVE RELEASED THEIR OFFICIAL STATEMENTS REGARDING MALOU’s RESIGNATION…
WE NEED HARD EVIDENCE HERE…!!!!!
Budoy, point taken. I understand your indignation. But I’m eager to put this matter behind me.
Appearing on television and personally addressing the public would have been a more sincere display of remorse; that is true.
But I do understand where Malu Fernandez is coming from. She was a self-styled diva who lorded over everyone else. I can only imagine what she went through to get to the point of actually writing that apology. It must have been excruciatingly painful. It must have been torture, indeed.
So, yes, I accept her apology. If she one day decides to come out on TV and humbly beg for mercy, then I would be even more pleased. But I am not holding my breath until that happens.
This is not to condone her actions, nor to downplay the sheer insult of her bigotry.
Like you, I believe that she deserves to be punished.
But whether or not her resignation (or her written statement, for that matter) is enough to absolve her for her crime will always be a point of contention.
But this is how I see it: We voiced our opinions. We screamed for blood. We clamored for retribution. And we have won.
Personally, I am eager to move on. So pardon me if I consider this a victory, no matter how minor.
If Malu Fernandez was willing to humble herself to issue that statement; then I am willing to forgive her.
But that’s just me.
That being said, I’ll keep an eye out for more conclusive “evidence”.
And yes, I agree. Manila Standard and People Asia need to take a stand on the issue. Frankly, their silence still baffles me.
A Victory though small is a Victory still…
My two cents: With the money she saved from flying economy class, her camp has probably hired a publicist or a better writer to do (albeit quite late) some damage control. However, a few observations:
“It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.”
DUH! Makes you wonder when or what triggered her epiphany? She should have explained further, that would’ve showed more remorse. Like “For the sake of my accessories, I’ll apologize.”
And speaking of remorse, has she really got any? She fires back with:
“It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )”
(So hold on to your extra cash before you pay your spin-doctors a bonus!)
Now this sounds more like her! Firing a right-back-at-you “morality” statement to those who have apparently maligned (& finally affected) her bec. of thier anger. It was a “woe-is-me” and you’re all still “sh*te” in my eyes statement. An appeal would have been better. Suggest a re-phrase (and a discount from your reps.)
Most observe it as a cop-out. As fake as her bitter personality.
“I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this.”
(Awww where’d the fieceness we all love?) Great, sounds noble enough! Face the charges you b*atch! (Hey that’s what she calls herself, right?)
hi, thanks for dropping by my site and the kind words
i’m just not sure how much i believe that the apology came from her though; after all, anybody can make a geocities account. still, if she really said those things, consider me speechless for once, coz that’s a nicely constructed apology
Well said, Mary Ann. I agree with the points you raised. And perhaps this is not really the end of it.
However, I do wonder what our end goal is here? We asked for an apology. We got it. We asked for her resignation. We got it. What else is there?
Her continued suffering? I do not doubt that she is suffering - if not from remorse, then from the sheer humiliation of it all. How much more pain can we inflict?
As for her sincerity, there is no way to really gauge that, is there? And epiphany is too strong a word. I’m not even too sure if she learned the lesson we all so adamantly want her to learn.
Still, an apology has been made. That, in itself, is admirable. For me, at least.
What I really want to see right now is an official statement from Manila Standard and People Asia. Heard anything from either camp?
jorge, it’s great to see you here!
gosh! a musician, a writer, an artist, and a rogue? (be still my heart)
sadly, i’m already taken. (oh, deng!)
just kidding. (sorry, been a groupie for nearly a decade. blame my boyfriend mark for my musician fetish. lol.)
harmless flirtation brought to you by late nights, early mornings, marlboro lights, instant coffee (ew), and an intense craving for ice cream.
Thanks for the add! I’m not precisely sure how to add your blog to my friends page, but I’ll definitely stop by once in a while.
I’m glad it’s over, too. On the bright side, this fiasco has allowed people to feel something of unity. Nakakaaliw (how does one say that in english?) the fact that people who never had cause to cross paths are now adding each other in their friends lists.
Of course, the best part of all this is that someone’s belief was changed (hopefully, and no easy feat; it took an entire hostile Filipino community to do so) from potentially dangerous opinions to a much more…er… amicably inclined mind.
In which case, may I just say I’m pleased to meet your acquaintance, and that the fires in hell would freeze over before UP becomes anything resembling a non-smoking zone.
well, i’l just put this thing to rest..i believe, malou learned her lesson the hard way..and she needs some soul searching….it’s never too late to change anyway…do everything to redeem yourself..and i can forgive malou for what she has done…tao lang din naman sya na nagkakamali…time heals all wounds…i can even shake hands with her if we’ll meet…kaya lang, wala naman ako sa upper class…di rin ako nagpupunta sa mga tambayan ng mga mayayaman…kung sa shangrila mall siya nagsha shopping, ako sa divisoria…one place lang na pwede ko syang makita,sa economy class ng emirates…pero yung lang, i cannot guarantee your safety in the plane , malou , once na kuyugin ka ng mga nanggagalaiting mga pasahero…
malou, it’s time for you to change…you’ve seen the effects of it all…
mabuhay ang mga ofw’s..!!!.malou ?…ok , mabuhay ka na rin….
PEACE po sa lahat….!!
TO SHOW OUR “GRATITUDE” LET US SEND MALU FERNANDEZ TONS AND TONS OF AXE AND CHARLIE COLOGNE!
Thanks, Pong. Pleasure’s all mine. Maybe we’ll get to meet in next year’s UP fair. We (barkada) are all planning to take a little trip down memory lane come 2008…and oh yeah, go celebrate the UP Centennial, too. Do keep in touch, Pong.
Budoy, that’s the spirit! Ang hirap gumising sa umaga nang may galit sa puso. Tara, tagay na lang tayo. lol.
flyingcarabao: magandang idea yan. pwede mga empty bottles na lang? sayang din ang pera.
F@!k that
she deserved that
i dont think so, the fight isnt over yet. i think its time that columnist and editors be responsible with what they are pasting on paper. malu is just one person, sure she wrote that article but who approve its printing. i think all responsible should be sack or at the very least reprimanded. this is should be a lesson in sensational or irresponsible journalism.
I know only today who this Malu Fernandez is. Never heard of her before. If she still lives in the PHIL. she has to RENOUNCE HER FILIPINO CITIZENSHIP
and LEAVE the PHILIPPINE SOIL IMMEDIATELY! My country THE PHILIPPINES and my people, tHE FILIPINO PEOPLE
don’t need HER PERFUMED PRESESENCE in the FILIPINO TERRITORY. SHE HAS INSULTED THE FILIPINOS
as A PEOPLE, The PHILIPPINES as A NATION!
A “PERSONA NON GRATA” has to be EXPELLED!!!
APOLOGIES ARE NOT ENOUGH. RESIGNATION from work IS NOT ENOUGH!
MS. MALU FERNANDEZ has INSULTED the OFW’s-FILIPINOS who are sacrificing BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS
to make the PHIL. ECONOMY RUN, is UNFORGIVABLE.
!!
ALL FILIPINOS in the country and the OFW’s should MOVE for the EXPULSION of this MALU FERNANDEZ from THE PHILIPPINE TERRITORY.
BENITA BALINON TENDENCIA
BAGONG BAYANI AWARDEE-1999
hi, alesandro. yup, no doubt she did (and still does).
jon andy, please read my recent post.
Ms. Benita, I’m honored to have you here.
Malu Fernadez is a Man!Malu Fernadez is not a woman!
Ah Si Malu!Kilala ko si Malu way back College. Di naman sya kasing yaman ng mga friends namin thats for sure. Malu’s real name was Melvin Fernadez….she had this great passion with the social scene and a bit of writing. Leona (Malu’s best friend during college days) told us that Melvin/Malu (Malu Fernadez) got his operation 10 years ago in Thailand worth 40,000 pesos (which is big even then). I was really shocked to see her pictures looking like a lady…matter of fact a fat and not so good looking-middle-age woman. Yes! I can confirm this now malu Fernadez used to be a man! Malu Fernadez is Melvin Fernadez! I won’t be surprised if he got rid of her penis as that s his/hers long time goal whilst at college. Malu Fernadez is a man and we have the year book as a proof. Yes!Bakla si Malu Fernadez ladies and gentlemen…so we all can leave her alone now sa mga kamay ng New People’s Army “NPA” and the news is that they wanted to have her in the bundok to make aliw with the bubuyog and make tusok tusok of her like a fish ball!
On the othehand naman daw from the High ranking Officials from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administrations or POEA wanted to ban her from leaving Philippines for 10 years(Juice ko day! so kahit doing a shopping in Hong Kong for a Birkin bag would be a big problem now for Malu Fernadez). The president of the Republic of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was forced to sign daw a document (to ban Malu Fernadez for 10 years leaving the Philippines) to be submitted in all portal of exit/International Airports. Wow! President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo could be the greatest advocate for human rights equality!This is good if its true!Malu Fernadez’ case could be a good lesson for all journalist to learn! Mabuhay si President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines! Long Live President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Republic Philippines! By doing this you have won the hearts of all the OFW’s! We should all take pride for the great contribution of the OFW to the economy!If the New People’s Army wanted Malu Fernadez’ body dead or Alive…then the office of the Malacanang Palace along with the OFW around the globe with their greatest president to ever run the country should support the petition!
How come the editors of the magazine didn’t catch the article before publishing it? I think the magazine also owes our OFW heroes an apology too.