15 October 2008 -- The National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), the Philippine government's machinery for women's advancement, strongly condemns the insensitive portrayal of Filipinas as sex objects as featured in the comedy sketch of Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse "Harry and Paul" recently aired via British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a government-run television station in the United Kingdom.

In the said program, a "Filipina maid" was reportedly showed gyrating in front of Mr. Whitehouse in a sexual manner while Mr. Enfield later on shouted at the "Filipino maid" to move more lasciviously and at one point even told her to go in front of Mr. Whitehouse to "hump him."

This appalling portrayal of Filipino women in television is deplorable and an insult to millions of women migrants around the world who are making valuable contributions to the progress of the countries they work for.

Globally, many migrant women have suffered indignity, discrimination and sexual harassment and along with other nations, the Philippine government is taking a stand through its Manila Call To Action to end this inhumane treatment. As main output of the First Global Conference on Gender Migration held in Manila last September 25-26, 2008, this document calls on countries to "promote positive attitudes to multiculturalism, multi-lingualism and diversity and establish culturally sensitive policies and programs to combat racism and discrimination."

The Philippine government values the millions of Filipinos working overseas and is committed to protect their dignity and uphold their human rights. No Filipino woman should be violated, whatever her status is.

We therefore support the Philippine government's position in asking the British Broadcasting Corporation to issue an apology for putting the Filipino women in a bad light and making a humor out of a very sensitive issue which clearly is sexual exploitation.