Woke Twitter has been going after long-running TV anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya? (Memories aka MMK) since it posted teasers of its upcoming episode yesterday.
Based on its tweet, the story will revolve around a “hottie guy” falling for a “chubby girl.” The pair is played by actors Kit Thompson and Elisse Joson.
The trailer shows Joson (clearly wearing some type of fat suit) and Thompson falling in love. The trailer implies that Mark cheats on Joson’s character, putting their relationship in jeopardy.
https://twitter.com/MMKOfficial/status/1103676730181509120
The episode is set to air on Saturday at 8:30pm on ABS-CBN.
While the teasers were meant to get people excited, it instead received backlash from woke netizens who called it out for its B.S.
Twitter user @datpopsiclegirl wrote in Filipino: “You know what’s not fat? The mind [of the person] who greenlighted this [episode]. It’s already 2019. As if it’s a huge deal to fall in love with chubby [people]. Keep up with [positive] messaging.”
https://twitter.com/datpopsiclegirl/status/1103895205890031617
“I wish you guys used a real chubby actress. Not [an actress] who will only wear a fat suit,” said @_maxineeleanor. “Thanks for the body positivity — NOT!”
https://twitter.com/_maxineeleanor/status/1103860321070931969
“A fat suit in 2019 for an episode supposedly celebrating curvaceous is (sic) women. It’s ironic, right?” asked @GlennnDiaz.
https://twitter.com/GlennnDiaz/status/1103880875979100160
“[F]ucking cancel this. This makes me furious,” said @coreenarboleda.
https://twitter.com/coreenarboleda/status/1103921178547150848
https://twitter.com/dolphindisguise/status/1103949657086943232
“Can’t think of a better interest point? Are body types a problem when loving someone? Do better, please. Happy International Women’s Day,” added @tishywishy.
Walang maisip na interest point? Sagabal ba body types sa pagmamahalan? Do better, please. Happy International Women's Day @MMKOfficial
— Tish (@tishywishy) March 8, 2019
This isn’t the first time the TV show received backlash. Just in February, it was criticized for featuring the life story of Christopher “Bong” Go, President Rodrigo Duterte’s long-time assistant who is running for senator. Netizens were not thrilled that his life story was dramatized on TV.
READ: The Color of Money: In Philippine TV and film, white still equals green
In March 2018, the show also told the story of Norman King, the first Aeta person to graduate from the country’s premier college, the University of the Philippines.
The Aeta are indigenous people found in Central Luzon. They are typically darker-skinned but MMK hired lighter-skinned Filipino in blackface to portray them.
Perhaps listen to your critics next time, MMK?
