Monday, February 14, 2011

N is for Nita Negrita

It's sad  this is even on TV.  

I saw the few tweets and blog posts and yes, I'm quite puzzled why there aren't so much blog posts concerning the content and visuals of this TV show. 

Personally, I think the show is done in poor taste. But like any offensive garbage on TV, I can just turn off the TV and not let my family watch it. But the problem is, it's still there, people are watching it and shrugging off any hints of it's racism as acceptable- kasi its on TV, its on a trusted TV network. It's not making the problem go away, does it?

And the saddest thing one can hear about this show is the ignorance it brings forth. Someone told me I shouldn't be offended because on a local perspective 'Blackface' in pinoy culture is not offensive raw. It's something that only affects the African Americans in the US and doesn't concern the dark-skinned Filipinos living in the Philippines :( Sad, sad. So much for progress and acceptance- akala ko pa man din mas forward thinking na mga pinoys.  And I thought with the advent of the internet and with pinoys who have relatives and family members living abroad we would feel more interconnected and sensitive with global issues. Sa labas ng bansa, Pinoys experience racism a lot, subtle or harap-harapan, masakit po yun at mali po yun. So why do we have to spread this kind of discrimination among ourselves?  


Photo from the twitter page of Carlos Celdran

When a foreign TV show depicts us as a country of maids or call us slurs or something professionally demeaning, we are quick to anger to rebuke this kind of racism- why not on the kind of racism that is happening in our own backyard? It's being shoved right on our faces po and even if you don't watch TV just take the MRT alone and you will see that tasteless billboard along EDSA.

If you still think I'm off track with Nita Negrita, I did see the first episode and it is standard telenovela fare. Lotlot de Leon brings the hagulgul drama on and she's is good at it. But as a mom, I find it appalling that that in some scenes they had decided to cover a baby with black make-up from head to toe. Is it even safe to cover a baby in pasty make-up?

How long did this baby endure the shooting hours wearing all that guck? Mommy bloggers, you'd be the judged na lang. 

Here some links from other pinoy mommy bloggers who had something to say about Nita Negrita

No to Nita Negrita
Sweet Hopia on Nita Negrita
Only in the Philippines?

3 comments:

irene said...

I totally agree with this. I am trying to compose my own words so I can put it on my facebook page. I think people should really respond to this situation and just bring awareness to stop this kind of discrimination. Thank you for posting this.=)

I'm Razielle, I love hopia. said...

Admittedly, I have never seen a single episode of the show. But I told my husband, the point is, skin color should be a non-issue. So I don't care whether or not Nita has a heart of gold, her skin color should be a non-issue. Period. So I really think the concept of the show is flawed. I'm appaled this was given the green light by GMA but yeah, like you said, I guess there's nothing much we can do about it except not let our kids watch the show. :/

madhatter said...

@irene Yeah I totally agree, I'm glad there's some uproar on twitter and FB too.

@Razielle Yeah FLAWED exactly. I saw your post din kasi napansin ko rin among their followers, they would bash anyone who would bring the racism issue up and accuse anyone as favoring the other network, which isn't the case, people are reacting to it because there's something really offensive about it.