Product Code Database
Filipinos is the brand name for a series of biscuit doughnut snacks made by Mondelez International. In France, Spain, Portugal and the Nordic countries they are produced and sold under the 'Artiach' brand name. Under license to United Biscuits, in the Netherlands they are sold and produced locally under the Verkade brand. They have drawn controversy for having the same name as the Filipinos of the Philippines.
"Filipinos Agujeros" (holes) are crisp doughnut hole sized balls coated in either dark or white chocolate. "Filipinos Bigsticks" are crispy 20 cm (8 in) stick shaped snacks covered with puffed rice. These are coated in either dark or white chocolate.
The resolution's author, former Philippine Congressman and Senator Heherson Alvarez, claimed that the name of the cookie was offensive due to the apparent reference to their color, "dark outside and white inside". His resolution stated "These food items could be appropriately called by any other label, but the manufacturers have chosen our racial identity, and they are now making money out of these food items." On August 26, 1999, the Philippine president Joseph Estrada called the brand "an insult".
The protest was filed despite Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon's initial reluctance on the matter. Siazon had reportedly said he saw nothing wrong with the use of 'Filipinos' as a brand name, noting Austrians do not complain that small sausages are called 'Vienna sausages'.
The controversial snack has been sold on the market for over 40 years. There were statements however, that the chocolate-covered snack was named "Filipinos" due to its brown outer layer and white inside before the snack was bought by Nabisco.Weekender: Travel trade east: Tuch ado about nothing. (1999). BusinessWorld, 1.
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