In the June 2007 issue of People Asia magazine, an article written by Malu Fernandez on her column Fierce and Fabulous sparked rage among many people, most especially overseas Filipino workers and their families. Titled “From Boracay to Greece”, the article which narrated her trip abroad tastelessly attacked her fellow Filipinos who were simply enjoying their several moments away from their usual overworked life. The lifestyle columnist who published a similar article in the Manila Standard Today reasoned that her article, just like the magazine in which it was published was intended for a certain socioeconomic class. Fernandez did not think that there is almost a hundred percent possibility that people not from the publication’s target class of readers could read her.

Ms Fernandez should not solely be blamed for the publication of the article. Her editors have the responsibility to oversee that the items they put in their magazine do not at least in any way offend or degrade anybody, especially if the item contains no value added information for its readers.

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but as cliché as it may sound, the right to free expression is not absolute. Especially for people whose write-ups get published, responsible writing should always be practiced. There is such a thing as a Journalism Code of Ethics, to which even none- journalists like Ms Fernandez herself must adhere. One need not be a rocket scientist to decipher the Code anyway – it is basically about respect.