The Malditas and the intregeras
Unless we’re somewhere out there incommunicado and on self-quarantine the past few weeks, we should have been aware of the historic feat the country’s Womens’ National Football Team had accomplished. Historic because these feisty ladies had booked a ticket to the FIFA World Cup next year to be jointly held in New Zealand and Australia.
Several articles had already been written about the achievements of the Malditas and we won’t be touching on the matter. Rather, let’s talk on some unfair negativity they had been subjected to which did the rounds on social media.
The footballing ladies’ parentage were under fire because they’re not “pure” Pinoys. Sure, they’re not but they had and will proudly play for flag and country. Exactly how many of the nearly 112 million people, a good number also of mixed parentage, scattered around the 7,100 islands had worn the flag on their chests and selflessly represented the country in international competitions?
What’s the freaking difference between mixed-race athletes and beauty contestants also of mixed parentage representing the country. We rarely hear bashings from these so-called purists when multi-racial entrants sashay on pageant ramps. Let’s not forget the Hollywood types that are so glorified even if they only have less than 25% of Pinoy blood running thru their veins.
We have foreign sounding names flooding our local showbiz scene yet there’s not a hoot on what edge of the solar system the other parent came from. Of course, the glamor and glitz of the entertainment industry is worlds apart from the blood, sweat and tears of competitive sports.
We’ve heard of this negativity likewise directed towards the Azkals, the Gilas and all the foreign-based members of the different national teams. We should instead be grateful to these mixed-raced athletes whom most had sacrificed better club pay to play for our country. They chose to be away from their families and loved ones and had worked hard for months for that chance to represent the PH tricolor internationally. “There’s no such thing as we’re not Filipino enough”, says US-based Maldita Kiara Fontanilla.
Yes, we do have the local talents but those who were raised and got involved with their respective sports abroad have the edge because of the advanced training methods and equipment at their disposal. Comparatively speaking, it’s like racing a multicab pick-up against a Hilux. It’s automatic that to have a fighting chance, we go for the upgraded version.
These intregeras/intregeros and inggiteras/inggiteros, with the misplaced notion that they’re makabayan, are the same people who prefer foreign brands and use those whitening products on their skins to look fairer. Well, their faces had gone a few shades lighter, but their neck area still has that natural color of a dried coconut husk. Translated to Bisaya, murag unod sa lubi ang kolor sa nawong pero ang li-og mura’g uga’ng bunot.
Stop the hate and give love to the Malditas and to all our mixed-raced athletes as they will be continuing to represent us in the years to come. And let the nickname stay for the WNFT. It’s their lucky charm. We don’t want to call them any other name.
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