Skirting the issue

When a seemingly old-fashioned school in Cebu City banned entrance examinees from wearing skirts, 18-year-old Jea Bungcaras faced missing the test last March. To solve the problem, she and her 25-year-old brother Jann, who accompanied her to the school, swapped pants and

skirts. She was able to take the exam. Jann simply let the incident pass, even posting his photo on Facebook wearing his sister’s skirt for humor.

Some people still find such fashion, miniskirts and short shorts in particular, inappropriate. The Lucban Municipal Police Station in Quezon Province, for one, believes that wearing skimpy clothing is a recipe for rape or sex crimes against women. Thinking it would be helpful, the station posted on its Facebook page on 11 June this advice:

“Kayo naman mga ghErlsz, wag kayo magsuot ng pagkaikli-ikling damit at pag naman nabastos ay magsusumbong din sa amin.

Isipin ‘nyo rin (Oh you, girls, don’t wear such skimpy clothes for when you get harassed, you come to us to complain. Think about that, too)!”

The post also advised men to love and not abuse women.

The post went viral. Within 24 hours, it was shared 4,000 times. There were also 8,500 comments, mostly angry. Netizens found the victim-blaming advice offensive.

Caught off-guard, the station took down the post Friday and Lucban Police chief Major Rizaldi Merene issued a public apology.

In an interview with a news site, Merene explained they were just trying to prevent the sexual harassment of women.

Still, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Archie Gamboa was not amused and ordered the station to explain why they posted such a statement that was damaging to the reputation of the PNP.

For making a faulty fashion statement, Merene and his men are now busy thinking of how to skirt around the controversy.