Mary Jean Lastimosa. AP FILE PHOTO
“Rubbish!”
This was how a netizen, who goes by the cybername @chez_Kitron, described a bill requiring homegrown beauty contestants to wear only Filipino-made gowns in international pageants.
Whatever it was that moved Rep. Eric L. Olivarez, author of proposed House Bill No. 5691, to file the measure did not sit well with netizens who follow the Inquirer on social media.
“Are these lawmakers running out of fresh ideas that they will waste time filing a bill on such a petty issue?” netizen Hey_Dudes said, in a jab at Olivarez’s rather belated proposal.
“I pity the constituents of this brilliant representative. Climate change must have affected his superior intellect,” said netizen Max Bebot Tandan Jr.
“Pagdasal po natin ang Pilipinas… (Let’s pray for the Philippines),” blogger/actor/singer Joshua Pineda, who uses the name @Geekrology, quipped on Twitter.
“I have no words! #facepalm,” social media humorist @krizzy_kalerquie said.
“Antatalino talaga! (How brilliant!),” said @Dessa_tweets in jest.
“I am a pageant fan but this is just so wrong,” said netizen @memantastic, suggesting that the lawmaker couldn’t seem to get over the gown Miss Philippines Mary Jean Lastimosa wore during the 63rd annual Miss Universe competition in Miami, Florida, last January.
Lastimosa had worn a Colombian-designed gown for the pageant’s national costume competition.
Lastimosa’s gown raised not a few eyebrows among Filipinos who thought a Filipino designer would have done a better job. It became a “trending topic” for some time.
The Olivarez bill also states that garments, dresses or costumes “representative of Filipino culture, identity and nationality” shall at all times be the default fashion design for every Filipino beauty pageant contestant in any international beauty pageant.
If passed, the measure will allow foreign designers to assist Filipino designers in the creation of dresses or costumes for Filipino beauty contestants in international beauty pageants, “provided the fashion designers creating the costumes or dresses are working as a team and the team is headed by a Filipino fashion designer.”
Any franchise holder, handler, organizer or sponsor that violates any of the provisions may face imprisonment of six months or a fine of P100,000, or both.