GABRIELA party list remained steadfast with their stand against the Philippines’ hosting of Miss Universe 2016 as they stressed that women’s body should not be used as an instrument to entice tourist visitors.
The group encouraged pageant organizers to replicate Davao City’s practice that prohibits the wearing of provocative clothes during pageants.
Former Representative Luzviminda Ilagan, in a press conference Monday, January 16 at SM City, Ecoland in this City said that although they acknowledge the effort and intention of the Department of Tourism in boosting the tourism industry of the country through bringing the international pageant, she stressed that there are other means of promoting beautiful places without having women expose their skin.
“We have beauty contest (and there’s) nothing wrong with competition but do not commodify women (in tourism campaigns). Do not use the body of the women to lure and to attract people to your beautiful place,” Ilagan said.
The women party list also opposed the use of competitions to promote commercial use of women’s image in marketing products and services on a globalization-oriented trade regime.”
Ilagan, meanwhile, commended the practice of Davaoeños in the prohibition of the wearing of swimsuit in accordance to the Women’s Development Code of Davao City which banned the practice among pageants such as the Mutya ng Dabaw and the Hiyas ng Kadayawan.
“If we have a competition, it should not focus on the physical aspect of the women,” Ilagan said.
Since the event is inevitable which is set to be conducted on January 30, Ilagan said that it would not stop them to inform the public about promoting the rights of women and raising their stand that it is not the best way to highlight their ladies’ beauty and talent as there are other means for it to be appreciated.
Although there are beauty competitions in Davao City, participants abstain from wearing bathing suits or bikinis because it is inappropriate to commodify women, Ilagan said.
Around 40 candidates, meanwhile, are set to arrive in Davao City on January 19 for the Mindanao Tapestry Show to be held at SMX Convention Center in SM Premier Lanang.
The candidates are also expected to visit the city’s landmark such as the Eden Nature Park in Toril.