FHM Philippines apologises for 'racist' Bela Padilla cover

MANILA // A Philippine men's magazine has apologised and pulled its cover after critics described it as racist.

FHM Philippines said it has decided to change the cover of its March issue which showed a fair-skinned actress, Bela Padilla, in a pink bikini flanked by dark-skinned women in black bikinis. The caption said: "Bela Padilla stepping out of the shadows."

Padilla, a soap opera star, has a Filipina mother and a British father.

The magazine said after uploading the issue on its Facebook page it received a slew of complaints that the cover was racist.

FHM apologised today and said it will use a different cover when the magazine hits news-stands in March.

It said it will strive to be more sensitive in the future.