Solon’s fashion protest vs Charter change

MANILA, Philippines — Protest against the administration’s push for Charter change and purported plan to extend President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term came in the form of fashion courtesy of Gabriela party-list Representative Liza Maza.

Maza, who is serving her third and last term in the chamber, arrived for the 10 a.m. opening of the third regular session in a white gown made of katsa, the cloth used for flour sacks.

The Filipiniana gown is accentuated with wooden beads and hand-painted golden image of the President, who is shown weaving an embroidery of constituent assembly, while the people below her are strangled by its thread.

Social realism artist Boy Dominguez hand-painted the image to depict Arroyo’s “unrelenting efforts for term extension through con-ass.”

The dress was matched with shawl with an anti-war message, which she wore during the 2003 visit of United States President George W. Bush.

Maza, who has expressed intention to run for senator in the May 2010 election, will not attend the State of the Nation Address at 3 p.m. She will boycott the Sona and join in the street protests against the Arroyo administration’s nine-year rule.

Maza will be joined by fellow party-list lawmakers Luz Ilagan of Gabriela; Satur Ocampo, Neri Colmenares, and Teddy Casino of Bayan Muna; Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod of Anakpawis; and Raymond Palatino of Kabataan.