Press Release
October 4, 2007

Senator Pia on racial slur vs. Filipino medics on
Sept. 30 US episode of "Desperate Housewives"

Excerpts from interview with Sen. Pia Cayetano
by Ms. Karen Davila and Mr. Vic de Leon Lima, DZMM

SPSC: As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, madalas kong nakakasama sa mga hearings namin ang mga health practitioners, not only doctors and nurses, pati midwives. Napakalaking bagay para sa kanila na pahalagahan ang propesyon nila. Around the world, in demand ang ating mga doctors and for an international television series to publicly make a statement insulting the quality of our medical schools, importante na i-klaro natin 'yan at bawiin nila. This goes into the reputation of our medical practitioners and it's very important to put on record na ang nurses ng Pilipinas ang number one na pinagkukunan ng nurses all over the world. This means na ang quality ng nurses natin ganoon kataas. Ang doctors naman natin ay number two, kumbaga sa product, highly in demand (sila). Then all of a sudden, there's one person who a lot of people admiremaraming nanonood ng programang yan ako nga nanonood n'yan pero first season lang talaga ang nasundan koat maraming sumusubaybay not only sa program but also kay Ms. Teri Hatcher herself. I think it's worth taking time to tell them that this is not right and they owe us an apology.

Q: Do you see this Ma'am as an effect na nag-eexport tayo ng mga doctor at nurses? Aminin natin na nakakababa rin 'yun na isa kang licensed doctor at aalis ka ng bansa para magtrabaho bilang nurse?

SPSC: Definitely, this is not at fault in this situation. Kahit tanungin mo 'yung mga doctor na 'yan 'di naman nila nila gugustuhing maging nurse kung nakikita naman nila na mayroon silang propesyon at meron silang kikitain (dito) na ok naman. But given na ganoon ang ginagawa nila, it's still an honorable profession to be a nurse. Uncalled for and insensitive pa rin ang ginawa nung scriptwriter. As a scriptwriter naman of an international TV series, dapat ingat pa rin at responsable. Sana kung factual puwede nating palampasin.

Q: Pero (cites comment of one listener) baka may epekto rin (sa perception ng scriptwriter ng show) 'yung nangyaring leak sa nursing board exam, at hindi pa nga ni-recognize ang 2006 nursing board passers

SPSC: Doon naman sa (nursing board exam leak), pwede talagang may connection dahil naging malaking balita talaga 'yan. Pero may inaccuracy pa rin dahil nursing board exam 'yun at 'di medical board exam. But just the same, pag feeling naman natin ay sumobra na, karapatan din naman nung tinira na magpa-clarify. I appreciate din naman 'yung ganung mga comment. Nang una ko ngang marinig ito, the first thing that came into my mind ay "klaruhin natin 'to."

Q: Pero sa US 'di po ba parang ginagawang joke ang lahat? At pwede pa nga nilang ibalik sa atin na kayo nga, may problema sa board exam

SPSC: Noong nagka-hearing kami (on the leakage issue), hindi nga tayo sinipot agad ng PRC (Professional Regulation Commission). Kasama 'yan sa EO 464. On our part, this Administration should make sure na, "iharap n'yo naman ang mga government officials na responsable sa nangyaring leakage." Kung itatago mo sila sa Senate hearing, eh how will we find out how this happened? Kung hindi sisipot ang mga ito, paano namin malalaman at paano kami gagawa ng nararapat na batas? Noong una, hindi nga dumarating ang PRC, ang statements lang natin is from the nursing students na umamin na may natanggap silang (leaked questions and answers). Kahit nag-benefit sila sa pandaraya ay umamin sila. Ang nangyari, parang gubyerno pa ang nagtatakip at 'di ito maganda sa paningin ng publiko at mundo.

Note: Senator Pia S. Cayetano is sending a formal letter to the producers of "Desperate Housewives," particularly to the show's creator and the episode's reported scriptwriter, Marc Cherry expressing indignation over the dialogue "that undermined the integrity of the country's medical professionals." The letter also demanded that the show issue a public apology with the assurance that the incident will not be repeated in future episodes.

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