Women Councilors Block Move to Laud Davaoe?a Beauty Queen
By Cheryll D. Fiel
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY (March 8, 2006) — Two women legislators blocked on Wednesday a proposal for the City Council to pass a resolution congratulating Lian Andrea Ramos, the Davaoe?a who won the Binibining Pilipinas-Universe title last week.
Councilor Angela Librado, who heads the Committee on Women and Children at the City Council, and Councilor Suzabel Reta, chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, convinced their colleagues to shelve the idea, which they deem offensive to women, particularly during the celebration today of the International Women?s day.
“I don’t like the idea,” said Reta in a televised interview Wednesday.
The resolution was proposed by Councilor Leo Avila during a City Council the day before International Women’s Day.
Ramos, who was educated at the Ateneo de Davao University, was reported to have been invited to grace the Araw ng Dabaw celebration on March 16. Librado said she would be willing discuss her views with Ramos if given the opportunity during the beauty queen?s visit.
While we hear of reports that presumably 1017 might be lifted anytime, this is not consolation enough for us because the threats to free expression and our right to think and speak as freemen do in a free society remain unresolved.