EDITORIAL - There’s a lesson from that racial slur

When an episode of Desperate Housewives showed one of its lead stars maligning the Philippines’ medical profession, thousands of Filipinos from all walks of life worldwide immediately raised a howl of protest.

Branding that episode of the American phenomenal comedy show a slap on the integrity of the country’s medical industry, various sectors sought an apology from the management of ABC, which runs the highly rated show. Even Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, when asked for comment, vowed that the government will seek an apology from the giant American network and the creators of the show.

For those who do not know the issue, in the September 30 episode of the Desperate Housewives, Susan, played by Teri Hatcher, goes for a medical checkup and was stunned when a doctor has suggested that she may be going through menopause. But Susan instead doubted the findings, saying she wants to check the credentials of the doctors to “make sure that they aren’t, like, from some med school in the Philippines.”

Like a fire sweeping through a forest in a hot summer day, the protest against the racial slur quickly spread among the Filipinos, thousands of whom invaded the Internet to express their utter disgust. However, the ABC management quickly issued an apology, saying the airing of the Desperate Housewives’ episode was not meant to cast aspersions on the integrity of the Philippine’s medical profession.

It’s only natural for Filipinos to protest against what they deem an act to disparage the local doctors and nurses who have been recognized as one of the best the world over. However, they should also count the fact why the writers of the show, which has already achieved a cult-like following, have created the joke out of our doctors.

It’s been undeniable that the country’s medical and nursing professions have suffered a huge blow of late. This is due to the various controversies engulfing the two professions that have now questioned the quality of doctors and nurses that the country produces.

First, there was the issue on the operations of various local medical and nursing schools below the standard. This is because hundreds of those medical and nursing schools that have sprouted throughout the country managed to operate under the noses of the authorities.

Then there was the leakage controversy that tainted the nursing board exams the past year. The latest controversy further raises the question on the integrity of the nursing profession, which has earned the Philippines the recognition as the world’s best producer of nurses.    

The lines uttered by Susan in the worldwide hit comedy show may be a racial slur worthy of condemnation. But they, in one way, sent a message to the country’s authorities that ours is a medical profession that has gone in the wrong direction because of their lack of vision.     

While we protested the racial slur, let’s also take it as a lesson in order for the country’s authorities to put the medical profession on the right track before it’s too late.