Discriminatory? The dress code at the Cebu Basilica is drawing mixed reactions

CEBU CITY, Philippines – It took the couple Ping Panilay, 17, and Jomar Abella, 18, two hours to reach the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño from Naga City in southern Cebu. As they were about to enter the church grounds, the guards pulled them aside.

Both were refused entry to the church grounds on October 5 for wearing flip flops. Panilay wanted to light candles as an offering for his birthday on October 7.

“OK, the man judges the politics of his politics, and the man approaches the sexy clothesPanilay told Rappler in an interview. (It’s good to have a policy because sexy clothes should be banned in the church.)

As of October 1, administrators at the Minor Basilica of the Holy Child began strictly implementing their dress code, denying entry to those wearing what they described as inappropriate clothing.

Spaghetti straps, tube tops and tank tops, sleeveless dresses, plunging necklines, off-the-shoulder tops and barebacks, short skirts and crop tops, shorts of any kind, low-waisted pants and ripped or ripped pants, caps and hats, and sleeveless sandos or dresses.

The basilica has also stopped the practice of lending shawls to cover those deemed to be wearing inappropriate clothing.

The regulation is printed on large advertising posters and posted at the entry points of the basilica.

The dress code, similar to the one implemented at Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral in Iloilo, drew mixed reactions from locals and tourists. Some offenders said they deserved to be turned away, while others said the policy could discriminate against people who can’t afford the necessary clothing.

The Augustinian friars said the policy was implemented to “maintain the solemnity of our worship space.” It will also “align with practices observed in other churches and shrines both locally and internationally.”

The Augustinians also discourage tourists from visiting the basilica “on Fridays and Sundays, unless they intend to participate in liturgical services.”

The basilica houses the original image of the Holy Child that the Spanish, led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, gave to Queen Juana when they arrived in Cebu in 1521. It is the object of deep and popular devotion.

The basilica also houses a lesser-known image that the friars said is as old as the Santo Niño of Cebu: the Ecce Homo or bust of the Suffering Christ that Magellan gave to Rajah Humabon also in 1521.

But it is the image of the Santo Niño that has attracted a stronger devotion. People visit the basilica to say prayers and light candles, especially on special occasions. Elderly women inside the compound sell candles and do what is called the Sinulog shop, waving the candles while dancing in place and chanting a prayer for the offerers.

Recognize “the dignity of the person”

Edu Albaro, 47, accompanied his wife and young son, who is in the 7th grade, to the basilica to light candles and listen to mass. It was his son’s birthday last October 5. Albaro, however, was denied entry because he was wearing shorts. . He decided to wait outside and told his wife and son to continue inside.

Albaro said the basilica’s administrators are right to impose a dress code because the church is a sacred place. He said he was wearing shorts because the last time he was there, in July for the other son’s birthday, he was also wearing shorts but was allowed inside.

Minerva Gerodias, who works for the local water service, was denied entry last October 4 despite wearing a knee-length skirt. He decided to continue listening to the basilica’s First Friday Mass by standing outside the church grounds. There were many who attended the mass in this way, also with a ban on entering the premises.

While the dress code is an expression of reverence, Jerome Babate said in a Facebook comment: “The dignity of the individual must also be recognized and policies must be compassionate, especially for the poor who can not have access to clothing that meets the requirements. Perhaps the basilica could offer alternatives, such as shawls or wraps, to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can participate in Mass and prayer without feeling excluded.”

A minor girl selling candles near the entrance to the basilica said many were rejected every day. A Rappler team at the site counted 12 who were denied entry in a five-minute period on the afternoon of October 5.

AJ Lacsamana, 26, and Ely Pletado, 25, were among a group of tourists from Manila who were also denied entry. The two are first-time tourists in Cebu. While both agree that the policies should be followed, Pletado worries that the regulations could be discriminatory.

“Not everyone is able to wear the types of formal dresses. For example, there are people who cannot afford to wear something elegant or decent. Maybe they should be allowed to enter the church,” he said Pletado on Rappler with a mix of English and Filipino.

“Besides that, entering the church is more about your intention. If you want to pray, you should be able to do so without the need to change your clothes,” added Pletado.

A friend of Pletado’s wanted very much to enter the basilica and light a candle, but she was not allowed to enter because her dress was above the knee.

Even before the strict dress code, lawyer Jessica Banzon-Natad said her family was denied entry to the basilica during the pandemic because their quarantine pass had been issued by a different local government. She said in a Facebook comment that she was very disappointed because they never came back since then, they go to the nearby Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

Among those who refused was the teenage couple Flora Peña and Andre Himaya, both 17 years old. It took them an hour to reach the basilica from Consolacion, a town north of Cebu City.

She said she was frustrated they couldn’t get in “because of me.” Peña wore a denim skirt several inches above the knee. He said he thought it was okay because he was allowed in when he heard Sunday Mass a few weeks ago.

Peña said there was nothing wrong with the new dress code because the church is “very sacred.”

The two, who have been in a relationship for six months, make it a point to visit the basilica at least once a month.

“Manglaag na lang mi” Flora said when asked what they would do after being rejected. (We’ll just hang out.) – Rappler.com

Max Limpag, a freelance journalist from Cebu, is a 2024 Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow.

Cris Fernan Bayaga is a reporter for the University of the Philippines Cebu Lanog Campus, the official student publication of the College of Communication, Art and Design. He is also Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow for 2024.