The cover shows Philippine actress Bela Padilla in a pink bikini surrounded by black models in black bikinis with the caption: "Bela Padilla stepping out of the shadows."

FHM Philippines, the country's top-selling men's magazine, said on Monday it has decided to change the cover after "a slew of comments on the supposed 'racism' of the cover image and cover line flooded the magazine page".

The original cover had been uploaded to the magazine's Facebook page on Saturday, sparking the complaints.

"When FHM hits the stands in March it will have a different cover. We deem this to be the most prudent move in the light of the confusion over the previous cover execution," said a statement from Summit Media, the magazine's publishers

"We apologise and thank those who have raised their points. We apologise to Bela Padilla for any distress this may have caused her. In our pursuit to come up with edgier covers, we will strive to be more sensitive next time."

The uploaded photograph caused several complaints on Twitter. "DISGUSTING representation of #colorism and #racism in the Philippines!" wrote @seemichelle.

"I find Bella Padilla so sexy in her FHM cover. But I think it's racist," wrote @TheRenzCastro.

Padilla, 20, a soap opera star who has a Pilipino mother and a British father, took to twitter herself to apologise for any offence caused:

"The concept was stepping out of MY inhibitions, MY fears, MY shadows. Not bashing a certain race," she added in a later Tweet.