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Women’s group hits Ms. Tourism Baguio

BAGUIO CITY (Sept. 16) — Women belonging to the Innabuyog-Gabriela, youth, students and male groups opposing beauty pageants staged a protest action on September 16, a few hours before the grand coronation night of the Miss Tourism Baguio here.

At around 5:00 in the afternoon, the said groups assembled at the People’s Park and held a short program, where artists among them mimicked a swim wear competition. But instead of girls in skimpy swimwear, men and women clad in placards bearing the city’s pressing problems paraded on the stage.

After the program, the groups marched towards the Baguio Convention Center, the venue of the Ms. Tourism Baguio coronation night, where they staged another short program.

A Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team tried to stop the group from staging a program but the protestors prevailed.

Innabuyog-Gabriela Secretary General Vernie Yocogan-Diano earlier said in a press conference that her group is not happy that a Miss Tourism Baguio was taking place. She said that the group has been working for the scrapping of Miss Baguio and it was suspended in 2004 but the victory was short–lived.

Diano reiterated that Innabuyog-Gabriela is opposed to beauty pageants because they display women as sex objects, for entertainment and for profit. She said that the major role of Miss Tourism Baguio is to attract more tourists to generate more revenues. She added that sponsors of the project also earn money from exploiting women.

Innabuyog-Gabriela earlier submitted to the city council a position paper calling for the total scrapping of city ordinance No. 030 series of 1998, which institutionalized Ms. Baguio as part of Baguio Day celebrations.

The city council’s response letter to Innabuyog stated that the said position paper is already with the council’s committee on laws headed by Councilor Elmer Datuin.

Diano said that Innabuyog needed to strengthen its education campaign and lobby work for their position paper especially because the head of the committee on laws is very vocal on his pro-beauty pageant position.

“We do not have to see a woman barely covered with two pieces of cloth to say that she is beautiful,” said Angelo Guizon from the Men in Purple, a male group advocating for women’s rights during a press conference on September 15 at the Innabuyog-Gabriela’s office here.

Guizon said that it is time to educate women and break the idea that beauty pageants empower women. He said that young women dream of being beauty queens because society tells them that it is a revered title for women.

According to Guizon, true women empowerment is when society works to sincerely uphold women’s rights and welfare and no longer discriminate her for being a woman.

Meanwhile, Ben Fernandez of the University of the Philippines Baguio student council said that the city government should look into other venues to earn more revenues for the city. He said that there other better venues for women to display their skills and talents and generate revenues for the city.

Fernandez also denounced the holding of Mr. Baguio. He explained that this is not the proper way to show equality between men and women.

Fernandez also called on the city council to stop treating women as commodities and not to start exploiting men.

In a separate press conference, former 1979 Miss International Melanie Marquez, who is here to promote beauty products, commented that beauty pageants are good venues to promote the unique Filipino culture, beauty and talent. She said that those opposed to beauty contests misinterpret the true meaning of the activity.

Marquez, however, disclosed that she finds two-piece swimsuits very skimpy. She said that one-piece swimsuits are better. Marquez was one of the judges in the Ms. Tourism Baguio pageant. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS

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