WRITTEN BY ELLE LAVIN & FRANCESA JANA SANTIAGO

In terms of reality TV, we commonly see Filipinos as participants on televised competitions and we are without a doubt, excellent at it! We however, have a long history of being perceived as reserved and lacking in personality, but we know well enough that just like the Kardashians our community is also capable of being entertaining while remaining genuine. It seems that our representation in reality TV remains an issue considering how we have other shows that highlight Filipino culture. It’s about time we too are recognized outside our competitive vocal and dance abilities and more on our chaotic Titas, our diverse cuisine and our many languages!

Because of how immersive it’s presented, many viewers feel that this reality TV is an accurate type of representation in comparison to other forms of entertainment. But with fans loudly demanding for more inclusivity, producers are now taking a deeper look on how they’re approaching the genre. Today, we have Bretman Rock’s successful MTV series (now on its second season!) where he navigates through the good and the bad sides of his Filipino family and Out Of The Boondocks, the new KPBS docuseries that showcases creativity and culture as introduced by San Diego’s Filipino artists and innovators. In 90-day Fiance, we also met Rose Vega— an assertive Filipina from Caloocan who refuses to be degraded in any way by a white man. Reality TV is a great way to bring visibility to underrepresented groups much like our own.