Vice President Jejomar Binay. 蜜桃工作室 file photo
MANILA, Philippines鈥擵ice President Jejomar Binay on Friday denounced Washington, DC council member Marion Barry for allegedly racist remarks against Filipino nurses working in US hospitals.
Describing Barry鈥檚 comments as 鈥渋ll-informed鈥� and 鈥渦nfortunate,鈥� Binay said in a statement it was聽 unfortunate that such negative sentiments would come from an American public official.
Binay took offense at Barry鈥檚 observation in a council budget hearing on Monday that US hospitals were teeming with immigrant nurses.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so bad that if you go to the hospital now, you find a number of immigrants who are nurses, particularly from the Philippines,鈥� Barry said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 grow our own nurses鈥� so that we don鈥檛 have to be scrounging around in our community clinics and other kinds of places, having to hire people from somewhere else.鈥�
Binay, who is also the government鈥檚 housing czar and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers鈥� concerns, said Barry 鈥渘eeds to be reminded that the United States is a nation built on the sacrifices of immigrants.鈥�
He noted that Filipino nurses 鈥渉ave contributed greatly to providing health services to millions of Americans.鈥�
鈥淔ilipino nurses are recognized for their dedication to their work and the special care and attention they provide to their patients. Public officials like the former mayor should recognize that,鈥� said Binay.
On Wednesday, Philippine Ambassador聽 to the United States Jose Cuisia condemned Barry鈥檚 comments, calling them 鈥渋ntolerant and narrow-minded.鈥�
Cuisia also criticized Barry鈥檚 鈥減enchant for blaming Asians,鈥� saying it 鈥渇uels racism, discrimination and violence.鈥�
The National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (Naffaa) and the Migrant Heritage Commission, both based in the US capital, assailed Barry for his 鈥渞acist and bigoted鈥� statements.
Naffaa chair Ed Navarra said they 鈥渞eject this continued Asian bashing by elected officials like Mr. Barry and demand that he apologize for his insensitive and irresponsible remarks.鈥�
The group also asked Barry to 鈥渆ngage in a meaningful dialogue with our community so we can better educate the broader American public about the significant contributions that our diverse immigrant communities have made to this country.鈥�