The infamous Miss International quote on the typecasting of Filipinos as nannies that reportedly generated shattering applause:

"I take no offense on being typecasted as a nanny. But I do take offense that the educated people of the world have somehow denegrated the true sense and meaning of what a nanny is. Let me tell you what she is. She is someone who gives more than she takes. She is someone you trust to look after the very people most precious to you - your child, the elderly, yourself. She is the one who has made a living out of caring and loving other people. So to those who have typecasted us as nannies, thank you. It is a testament to the loving and caring culture of the Filipino people. And for that, I am forever proud and grateful of my roots and culture."

Of course, I have nothing against nannies. Or the service industry. What I do take offense at is how often Filipinos are depicted as self-sacrificing, always in service of a colonial superior or what have you. I guess our lousy economy is responsible for creating these quasi-feudal working conditions.

But there's a marked difference between service and servitude, even if they both happen to pay the bills. The former regards you as a human being, while the latter treats you like a walking, talking commodity - a few steps above a robot (and much cheaper to maintain!).

There's no shame in bringing in much needed dollars, but it doesn't help to valorize such hard-earned labor like it's some kind of cultural pride.

It's precisely the kind of cultural programming that justifies mail-order brides, sweatshop labor, etc.

Servitude is a bitter pill. And every time we glorify it, it brings to mind a lyric from the world's most famous non-Filipino nanny:

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,
in the most delightful way!

Labels: culture