ABC has responded to an online petition spread through the American Filipino community, many of them medical professionals.

The apology was sent to ABS-CBN, a Philippine broadcaster.

“The producers of the show and ABC studios offer our sincere apology for any offence caused by the brief reference in the season premier,” the statement said.

“There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines,” it said.

In the season premier of Desperate Housewives, Teri Hatcher’s character Susan Mayer asked her doctor if she could see “those diplomas because I want to make sure that they’re not from some med school in the Philippines.”

In Manila, Eduardo Ermita, Arroyo’s chief aide, responded to the quote by saying, “On the face, we can look at it as a racial slur.”

“We are looked down upon too much, considering the number of our medical professionals in the US,” he added.

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