and will write about anything, even topics that make me snort Coke Light out of
the corners of my eyeballs, because dignity doesn’t pay the bills.
And then there are days like today, when
frustration and Friday swirl together into a seething wordless mess. I was
supposed to write a short advertorial about Women’s Month, praising the
achievements of Filipinas. So I googled “Filipina,” and this was what I
saw:
Google’s suggested image results for
“Filipina” turned up a painting called “Filipina Eyes,” and a nurse, and a group
of bargirls.
I felt the same
uncomfortable melange of embarrassment, anger, pity and amorphous kinship that I
always feel whenever I see Filipinas intercepted by Domestic Helper Assistance
personnel (not their real title, but something like it) before they go through
Hong Kong immigration. Somehow, those people know Filipina maids on sight,
without even asking to see their passports. “Oh, there’s a brown-skinned woman
with a pug nose and tired, scared eyes, a cheap floral trolley bag and a black
sports jacket. She must be a Filipina domestic helper.” (They probably look at
me and go, “Oh, there’s a brown-skinned woman with a pug nose and tired, scared
eyes, a black backpack and a black sports jacket. She must be a Filipina on her
way to get clobbered at the Y&R regional creative directors’
meeting.”)
A hack, according to
dictionary.com: “One who undertakes unpleasant or distasteful tasks for money or
reward; a hireling.”
In 1992, the split
between female and male OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) was 50-50. By 2002, it
was already 70-30. Before we know it, only the men with their bellies hanging
out over their nylon shorts will be left in the country, while every able woman
is out there, rinsing bedpans or serving other people’s children or gyrating
around a sticky pole.
I exaggerate, of
course. But I suspect not too much.
And
so I passed the Women’s Month article on to Marco, who
did a much better job of writing it than I could have. He at least remembered
Gabriela Silang.
(Following a link on
Newfilipina.com, I saw instructions on how to revamp the Filipina’s
online image. Empowerment through metatags? Now that’s an
idea.)