By Garry B. Lao (The Freeman) Updated September 01, 2010
CEBU, Philippines – Former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz will not apologize for what has been tagged as a slur against the Cebuanos when she was interviewed on national television.
Diaz, who won the Miss Universe title in 1969, believes that she was misunderstood when she said in an interview citing an example that "a Cebuana can hardly speak English and Tagalog" and contestants from the Philippines
should use interpreters in international beauty pageants.
Cebuanos felt Diaz was belittling their English-speaking abilities and demanded an apology.
The Vice Mayor's League of the Philippines (VMLP)-Cebu Chapter has issued a statement declaring the former beauty queen as persona non-grata for making unsavory remarks while Cebu City North District Rep. Rachel Margueritte "Cutie" del Mar, in a privilege speech at the House of Representatives last night, asked Diaz to issue a public apology.
"I'm not going to apologize. I already explained it," Diaz said in an interview with The Freeman.
Diaz clarified that her remarks should not be taken as an insult to Cebuanos.
She said she was even shocked when she heard that some got angry over what she had allegedly said in that TV interview.
"I'm not stupid to say that. My boyfriend is a Cebuano. All my people here at home are Cebuanos, five of them," Diaz said.
Diaz said her statement was taken out of context.
"If you're Cebuano, say it in Bisaya. If you're Ilocano, say it in Ilocano. If you're Cebuano who can speak good English, say it in English. I did not single out the Cebuanos. It's so unfair that they will jump into a conclusion," she added.
Mario Dumaual, a senior entertainment reporter of ABS-CBN, said that what Diaz meant in the interview was that beauty contestants should speak in their dialect.
"Ang nasa youtube ay pinutol. Wala naman talagang derogatory remarks ang kanyang sinabi," Dumaual said.
At the House of Representatives, Del Mar said, "It is with much regret that I report that Diaz - former Miss Philippines - who had once brought glory to this proud nation - has awakened a sleeping giant: Cebuanos strong aversion to anti-Cebuano insulting remarks. I call on Diaz to issue a sincere public apology to the Cebuano people."
Del Mar, a neophyte lawmaker, said that Cebu is in fact a preferred location for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies because of the language skills of the people here.
"Cebu also has the most number of operating special economic zones and IT centers outside the National Capital Region. Tourism, one of the country's major industries, has grown partly because of the Cebuanos' ability to communicate intelligently with foreign tourists," del Mar said.
VMLP-Cebu Chapter president Arlene Zambo of Toledo
City said the group came up with an official declaration of Diaz as persona non-grata in the Cebu Province for making those unsavory remarks.
Zambo said the resolution was approved en mass motion by league's members and that they will also take it up in the various city and municipal councils that they belong to.
The Mandaue City Council, the Lapu-Lapu City Council, Talisay City Council and Cebu City Council are also set to file separate resolutions demanding for a public apology from Diaz.
"I am disappointed personally and ang iyang pag-look down naay discrimination. She did not even say sorry during her interview, it even comes out nga nagtaray gihapon siya," Zambo said.
The Toledo City vice mayor said that the former beauty queen will not be welcomed in Cebu. The VLMP also appealed to the Cebuanos to boycott products that she endorse and not watch her shows.
In a separate interview, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said that every Filipina deserves respect from her fellow Filipinas and what Diaz said was a heartless and a mindless statement.
"She is unrepentant and that adds insult to injury. Unrepentant whether quoted out of context or purely uttered without thinking," Garcia said, adding that Diaz should respect the Cebuanas whether she is a Bicolana, Ilongga or Manileña. - with Ria Mae Y. Booc/NLQ (FREEMAN)
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