Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Arleigh Sitoy wants to amend the Provincial Women’s Code (PWC) to allow participants in beauty contests to wear swimsuits.
Sitoy, who has earned criticisms for his controversial proposed ordinances on chicharon and a special comfort room (CR) for gays, believes a provision of the code has often been understood to mean an absolute ban on the swimwear portion of beauty pageants.
Sitoy said the portion is supposed to be a highlight of beauty contests.
In a proposed ordinance he filed last Friday, Sitoy said Section 5, Article 1, Chapter III of the Code needs to be amended.
He said it should state beauty contests may include a swimsuit event, provided the contestants are made to wear uniform one-piece bathing suits, which will be pre-approved by an authorized body in the place where the contest is held.
The actual code said beauty contests, which tend to commodify, abuse, humiliate and treat women as sex objects, shall be strictly prohibited in schools, communities and barangays in the Province of Cebu.
But it encouraged that beauty contests should promote the strengths and potentials of women specially those that are related to culture.
Manila-based actresses Maui Taylor and Jennifer Lee last February asked for a public apology after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia filed a case against them for violating the Women’s Code. They were in a bikini show in Bantayan Island during a Holy Week Celebration.
PB Member Agnes Magpale, author of the code, said there is no need for Sitoy to file an amendment.
She said what is prohibited are the skimpy bikinis that tend to project women as sex objects.
Sitoy said the swimwear portion of a beauty contest can be held under a legitimate set of rules and restrictions.
It can be held based on internationally-accepted standards on female grace and posture.
Sitoy said it is awkward that the towns are afraid to hold beauty contests because of the women’s code.
â€I want to be attuned to the global standard. We should keep up with beauty pageants such as Ms. Universe and Ms. World,†Sitoy said. “Why can’t we be like them.†- PNA
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