Women’s rights group Gabriela said on Tuesday that it is ready to work with Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, clarifying that the group is not targeting the beauty queen but the “profit-driven” pageant organizers.

When asked about their view on Wurtzbach, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said that though they do not have a party stand on the Miss Universe 2015 winner, they are open to working with her and having individual alliances.

“Halimbawa kung mayroon pong pang-aabuso sa kababaihan at gusto niyang maka-partner naming at makatulong sa pagkalat ng awareness, ng anti-rape, anti-sexual harassment. Maganda pong magkaroon ng platform or partnership… Kami po ay bukas sa ganoon, ang mga babae ay tinutulungan ng mga kapwa babae,” Brosas said in an INQ&A interview.

 

(For example if she wants to help women who are victims of abuses and she wants to partner with us to raise awareness against rape and sexual harassment, she can come to us. Creating a platform or partnership will be good…we welcome this…women should be helping each other.)

Wurtzbach has inspired people and many looks up to the beauty queen, she added.

“She is really beautiful. Lahat naman po ng kandidata ay may natatanging (ganda), mahuhusay sila, magaling sila, matalino sila sa mga kapasidad nila, pero it is what’s behind, yung gumagamit ng mga ganitong paraan (All the candidates are endowed with exceptional beauty, they are all good, intelligent…)” she added.

Brosas said it’s the pageant’s principle which they find unacceptable.

“Hindi siya personally ‘yung (winner), mas ‘yung idea ng beauty contest na gumagamit ng mga kababaihan at may kumikita ng (dahil) sa kanila… ‘Yung ganon po, hindi po ‘yung tao ang pinag-uusapan namin,” Brosas said.

(It’s not the pageant winner, it’s more on idea behind the beauty contest that exploits women and makes profit because of these women…we are not talking about the contestants.)

When it was announced last year that the Philippines will host the Miss Universe in January 2017, Gabriela made its voice heard, criticizing the event as a cover-up for Philippine societal problems.

The organization also blasted the “profit-driven” event, which would only perpetuate the objectification of women.

Meanwhile, Brosas said that Gabriela was against the controversial vanity tax law that was recently withdrawn.

She mentioned that there are people who are obliged to wear make-up, like salesladies and receptionists, and called the vanity tax “regressive.”