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No to Ms. Tourism Baguio! Women are not for sale!

Innabuyog-Gabriela protested hard for the scrapping of the Ms. Baguio beauty pageant. That we did since 2001. In 2004, the city government, a new administration then, suspended Ms. Baguio as a feature of Baguio Day. We expected that it was a move towards the complete scrapping of an activity that makes business out of women. This was a victory of the women’s movement in Baguio and we gave the due commendation to the city government for that noble action.

However, that victory was short-lived as the city government resumed the beauty pageant this year through another name, Ms. Tourism Baguio. In essence, it is still a beauty contest meant to generate tourists for the city and earn profits for the sponsoring business establishments. It is for this reason that we are angry. It is for this reason that we protest. It is for this reason that we ask the city government where its sincerity is in upholding the dignity of the young women of Baguio.

Beauty pageants concretely demonstrate the use of women as sex objects, for entertainment and for profit. Ms. Baguio is a clear advertising event for sponsoring business firms. At the end of the show, it is these business firms that rake up the profits.

Let us note that the holding of Ms. Universe and other international beauty tilts has earned huge profits for the fashion business and cosmetics industry. Sponsoring multinational and transnational companies were the biggest beneficiary, claiming big increase in their sales and profits afterwards.

The beauties after displaying themselves to the public, get their small share of recognition through the title that they are able to win. Many of them only receive a sash.

However, as they were made to believe that beauty pageants earn them prestige, that to them is an achievement.

Again, this makes us angry as women. Business has reduced women to a mere commodity. In the name of profit, capitalists are able to dupe women, instilling to them and the public that beauty pageants bring prestige and popularity. Women are deluded into the ploy of promoters that they become ambassadors of goodwill. But we assert that women can and had assumed that role without having to display her almost nude self in public.

Along with concerned women’s organizations, specially the youth, we reiterate our stance that Ms Baguio should be completely abolished by the city government by scrapping City Ordinance No. 030, series of 1998 which institutionalized Ms. Baguio as part of Baguio Day celebration. Baguio as an educational center for the North should be preserved, thus the city officials should refrain from activities that further western-decadent views on women.

We continue to assert that women deserve respect, we are aiming to get back the respectable position that women were once known for —leaders, food producers, courageous warriors, agriculturists and seed keepers, natural environment managers, teachers, healers and inventors.

To the city government, we demand that Ms. Baguio be abolished and officials must work for measures to ensure the protection of women from any form of exploitation and abuse. #

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