ACT Teachers party-list urges withdrawal of SONA attire rules

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party-list urged the House of Representatives to withdraw its memorandum prohibiting attire with political messages at the first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday.

In her letter to House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza, ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro said she and her colleagues were concerned over the lower chamber's SONA advisory.

"This Representation urges your good office to withdraw the said provision and/or not implement it on the day of the State of the Nation Address. We find no provision in any of the past Congresses' Rules of the House of Representatives and the Rules of the Senate- both of which are effective during the Joint Session--that is violated by the wearing of clothes with political messages," Castro said.

She added that ACT Teachers did not see any violation of parliamentary practice, protocol, and social norms in the wearing of political statements.

No such rule had been imposed in both chambers of the House in recent history, as it intruded into the personal freedom of dress of its members and violates the civil and political rights of the people on whose behalf the House members sit on the Joint Session.

Castro further said members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, along with their guests, have worn their advocacies to the SONA in the past, including their indigenous clothing.

They also held hijab-wearing days and ribbon campaigns as they express the advocacies of the bills and resolutions they file through their attire.

The fact that "Barong Filipino (for gentlemen) [and] Filipiniana dress (for ladies)" is part of the dress code (first paragraph of Item F(3)(a), Part III) is a political message in itself- one that claims our heritage as Filipinos and our dedication to the Filipino," Castro said.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Mendoza on the matter, but neither he nor his representatives had responded as of posting time. — DVM, GMA News