Nightshift:call center agent’s blog

OR DO WE?

I just watched the video of Jimmy Kimmel, Live in Youtube, who made some remarks about the Philippines. Kimmel said three things about the country - the awe of Filipinos upon seeing an American, kidnapping and the lack of knowledge in the English language.

What is more disappointing however, is Hartnett, who shoot his film “I Come with the Rain” in Mt. Diwalwal in Compostella Valley did not defend the Philippines (well, what can you expect). Kimmel admitted of not having visited the country so he wouldn’t really know the situation here but Hartnett was here for a week. He could have at least mentioned the Filipino hospitality.

To quote him in an interview with Philippine Star: “You simply can’t help but love these people around here. It’s great that they like me, too.”

When Hartnett was asked by Kimmel if he got nervous when he was surrounded by the Philippine Army, he said twice, with a demo, “Just a little bit.”

This is, however, his statement when he was interviewed by the Philippine newspaper: “I had no hesitations coming here. I never heard negative reports about the Philippines.Why? Is there any problem here? I do not see any problem around.”

I guess the biggest insult that the show made was about Filipinos not knowing the English language. Kimmel said: “…because especially in the Philippines they probably don’t speak English and no one could read the ransom note or anything.”

Maybe not all Filipinos speak English fluently but I think everybody knows how to sing Happy Birthday. What I believe however, is perhaps the ransom note was written in poor American English, because as we all know, they do not have a mastery of their own language (just like us). Or perhaps Kimmel hasn’t talked to a Filipino technical support, or always pays his credit card bills that’s why no agents pester him. Have I mentioned that the United States will hire Filipino teachers?

Of course, the remarks should be treated as jokes, albeit half-meant. But come to think of it, aren’t we ourselves are guilty of making fun of other people? Don’t we laugh if we hear someone speak poor English, or has a provincial accent? Don’t we laugh at comedy bars whose shows impersonate famous people? That’s exactly the reason why we laugh at Inday jokes. We find it funny that a househelp would be knowledgeable in foreign languages, science, philosophy, love and arts, because that is not how we know our local kasambahay.

When I was in high school and one of my teachers asked my classmate to patch things up with my other classmate (when the faculty itself had some issues among them), I asked my teacher: Ma’m, naniniwala po ba kayo na bago n’yo linisin ang dungis ng kapwa mo, tingnan mo muna ang putik sa iyong mukha?

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