Bela makes a splash in NY paper

MANILA, Philippines - ‘Big time!’

That’s how Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre described Bela Padilla whose controversial picture on the cover of FHM magazine landed in the New York Daily News (photo). Part of the Daily News story read: The Philippines edition of British mag FHM has dumped its March cover showing a fair-skinned model surrounded by a group of black models over charges of racism...A headline on the cover, which featured Philippine beauty Bela Padilla in a bright pink bikini posing between three black models in black bikinis, blared, ‘Bela Padilla stepping out of the shadows.’

Bela, 20, is the niece of Robin Padilla.

Here’s Bela’s official statement:

In reference to the negative reactions of some quarters regarding my very first cover pictorial for FHM, I would like to issue this statement.

It was never the intention of anyone behind the production to offend anybody. The concept has been agreed upon both by FHM and myself. The collaboration was purely artistic in nature and there was no malice involved upon its execution.

I would like to personally apologize to those who may have been offended by the cover feature. Let me repeat, we never want to offend anybody. FHM and I agreed that FHM management will be undertaking some changes on this particular cover so that this issue of alleged racism will be put to rest.