MANILA, Philippines -- A lifestyle writer has been hounded out of her job by death threats and hate mail after she wrote a travel piece many readers found insulting to millions of Filipinos who work abroad.
Malu Fernandez told Agence France-Presse she quit her job as a columnist at the Manila Standard Today newspaper and People Asia magazine after her article "From Boracay to Greece!" provoked international outrage.
The travel piece, which appeared in the June edition of the magazine and later in modified form in the newspaper, recounts her mock horror at finding herself in economy class surrounded by Filipino maids reeking of cheap cologne.
"I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them," she wrote.
The column drew fire from across the universe of online diaries who denounced her for alleged bigotry.
Eight million Filipinos, including maids, seamen, construction workers and professionals, work abroad and sent a record seven billion dollars back to the Philippines in the six months of 2007.
Fernandez at first tried to deflect criticism of her article, saying in a subsequent newspaper column that it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek humor.
"If any of these people actually read anything thicker than a magazine they would find it very funny," she wrote.
"Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabees. One group will never get the culture of the other."
However, Fernandez said she has since become the "target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults" and felt the need to apologize and quit. The Manila Standard Today confirmed that Fernandez no longer wrote for the paper.
"To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the (overseas Filipino workers) now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world.
"I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written," she said in her personal website.
She stressed it was never her intention to "malign, hurt or express prejudice" against the group.
