PHILIPPINES: Actress Bela Padilla apologizes for her photo on the cover of FHM Philippines, after it outrages readers, with many calling it racist

Record ID: 495468

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Actress Bela Padilla apologizes for her photo on the cover of FHM Philippines, after it outrages readers, with many calling it racist
  • Date: 2nd March 2012
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MARCH 1, 2012) (REUTERS) MAN LOOKING AT NEWSPAPER AT STAND FRONT PAGE OF NEWSPAPER, THE MANILA TIMES WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF ACTRESS BELA PADILLA ON FHM COVER MAN READING NEWSPAPER ARTICLE FROM THE PHILIPPINE STAR THE PHILIPPINE STAR NEWSPAPER ARTICLE HEADLINE READING: "FHM APOLOGIZES FOR 'RACIST' COVER"
  • Embargoed: 17th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines, Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVAB2OIBW1LYZ1AOBZB5V6E03YQC
  • Story Text: Filipina actress Bella Padilla apologized for her cover on men's magazine FHM Philippines, after it offended readers, with many saying it was racist.
    The magazine cover showed Padilla wearing a red bikini, surrounded by five black models with a caption reading: "stepping out of the shadows".
    Padilla said she initially did not realise the potential double meaning of the cover, did not think it would offend anyone.
    "When I first saw the pictures, I didn't see any offensive thing in it, because it's just a group of girls taking pictures, you know it's just that, nothing else. We didn't have any other ulterior motives, we didn't have any other double meanings in our heads when we were taking our shots," she said.
    FHM Philippines was flooded with criticism on social networking sites after the cover was posted online.
    "I want to apologize to everyone who felt offended. You know, if it were the other way around, if I were offended, I would expect an apology from someone. And since I was on the cover, I'm the one who's facing the heat right now," Padilla said.
    Women's group Gabriela condemned the magazine cover as a blatant racial slur and said they were organizing a protest against the magazine.
    "We are very offended, and we have received a lot of complaints. Readers demand a reaction from Gabriela on this kind of cover. The public are getting more sensitive on these issues and have monitored the developments, which is why this should serve as a warning to FHM. The models should also realize that they are only being used for financial gains," said Gabriela secretary General Lana Libanan.
    Student Jay Varaguirre, who saw the cover photo and video of the photo shoot on the internet, said FHM Philippines should have been more sensitive.
    "Even if it's for aesthetics, they should be sensitive enough to think that some people might get offended by it," she said.
    FHM Philippines declined to comment on the issue but released an official statement apologizing for the cover.
    They have also replaced the offending cover with one of Padilla by herself, and without the original caption.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register