As the world struggles to change the standards set by our predecessors in the hopes of giving equal rights to the oppressed, a global issue that has forever scarred humanity continues to be in practice in the Philippines. While wanting to have a fairer skin-tone is mostly supported, it is concerning when people are forced to change the color of their skin-tones to cure their insecurities and fit the beauty standards set by these billion-dollar industries selling whitening products. As an effect, the Filipino beauty standards shame people for having authentic Filipino features.

In 2013, a movie produced by the ABS-CBN star cinema entitled Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy made controversy when the viewers pointed out the character played by Kiray Celis displays an act of racism.  The actress' face is painted in black to represent an ethnic group and her character held no other major roles aside from being a subject of comedy. While making the audience laugh is a good practice, it becomes a concern when an entire race is discriminated against.  

This practice imposes a psychological effect on the minds of the viewers.The young ones in particular might think embracing one’s natural complexion is a bad thing. Next thing you know, they might be calling their peers “uling” or drop words like “bakit ang dilim naman dito?” which will damage one’s confidence. There is a tendency that these children will feel that they’re not included and accepted by society just because of their dark skin when in fact, the majority of the FIlipinos have a dark complexion.

Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy is not the only movie to disguise a light-colored celebrity with paint in the hopes of poorly capturing an authentic look. A common denominator can be observed in the following TV shows: Nita Negrita, SupahPapalicious, Maalalaala Mo Kaya? and Banana Sunday. Liza Soberano, a half American girl, once appeared on a Jollibee commercial using blackface. She later on denied the racist accusations and explained that she was imitating Spice Girl member Mel B. 

Making a media representing the darker-skinned Filipinos would always receive a backlash. One of the major reasons is that they are casting white actors instead of casting actual dark-skinned actors. The same thing happens with the indigenous groups. Not only do people get misconceptions because these shows focus on displaying the stereotypes on dark-skinned characters, but this also seized the opportunities of these ethnic groups to represent themselves properly. While this may be a way for the media to answer the racist claims of the people, casting a white actor and painting their bodies black is not the best solution they could give. It would be more practical to hire an actor or an actress who is naturally a part of the race that they wish to portray. 

In addition to that, one of the most controversial topics world-wide is the subject of white-washing. A Ponds commercial hired Filipino Actresses who had a white skin-tone to represent their brands. Among these actresses are Kathryn Bernardo and Nadine Lustre who had a Morena skin-tone. But in this commercial, they appeared to be lighter. Not only did the commercial target most of them women’s insecurities, but they also white-washed the celebrities who represent the Morenas. Families watching these ads at home might think that being white is better, therefore establishing a stigma that light-skinned Filipinos are prettier.

Bianca Punzalan, a guest speaker at TED Talks in collaboration with Moreau Catholic HS, confessed that she was once a victim of these beauty products. When she was younger, her grandmother would always remind her that Bianca would never be beautiful in her eyes just because she had dark skin. This attitude drove her to use whitening products in the hopes of being satisfied with her look. Upon using these beauty products, she experienced burning her skin until her color became lighter. Due to these burns, she stopped using them and learned a great lesson that boosted her confidence.

The idea that being whiter is better did not just sit within the family. This is also common among peers, shaming them and making them feel ugly for not being white. Even Asia Jackson, a Filipino-American actress, was being bullied because of her dark complexion and curled hair, which are the authentic features of Filipina beauty. 

The root of this problem dates back to the Spanish Occupation. Filipinos and Filipinas alike are dying to match the complexion of the Spaniards in the hopes of being included in the high society. The colonizers that followed were also composed of white-skinned races  which adjusted our beliefs and buried the image of what our ancestors looked like. Everybody’s so obsessed with eliminating the Filipino traits within them just to fit the beauty standards of the western countries. The lesser Filipino features you have, the better.

They also matter even if they have a darker complexion. Instead of harming their skin with chemicals just to erase the traces of Filipino traits, we must learn how to be kind and appreciative towards one another. Stop discriminating against them for having darker skins, and raise awareness that most Filipinos are being ostracized because of their skin color. Raising awareness would stop companies with whitening products to stop targeting people’s insecurities just to grow a billion dollar empire. And hopefully, the entertainment industry will redefine its set beauty standard to give Morenos/Morenas to represent themselves.  

Before the stigma reaches the next generation, let us take the initiative and empower Filipinos to embrace their natural complexion that we should be proud of. This is a mark that our Filipino blood survived after the years of colonization. Stand up and eliminate our obsession to achieve a not so Filipino beauty standard.