BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – Legislators from Iloilo province and city wore yellow ribbons on their barongs during President Benigno Aquino III’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona).
It was meant to show support to the President who is under fire for the Disbursement Acceleration Program that the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional, said Rep. Arcadio Gorriceta of Iloilo’s 2nd District.
Gorriceta is a member of the “Visayas bloc” in the Lower House that agreed on the yellow ribbon.
The Visayas bloc – comprising some 34 House members – also includes party-list representatives.
Yellow was the campaign color of Aquino when he ran for president in 2010.
It was made popular by his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino when she herself campaigned for president against dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 snap election.
Gorriceta was joined by his family to this year’s Sona, including son Michael, mayor of Pavia, Iloilo and the mayor’s wife, Kathryn.
Wearing the ribbon was “discussed by the members of the Visayas bloc,” Rep. Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City, bloc co-convener, told Panay News.
In his jusi barong, Treñas came to the Sona with his youngest son, Paolo.
Rep. Richard Garin of Iloilo’s 1st District, who arrived at the Batasan Complex with his mother and mother-in-law, was also ribbon-adorned.
Garin told Panay News he agreed to wear the yellow ribbon to “sympathize with the President.”
His wife, former congresswoman and now Health Undersecretary Janette Garin, said in a previous interview she could not make it to the Sona because she was in the province.
Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo’s 3rd District also had a yellow ribbon on his “same old ordinary barong.”
His father, Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. accompanied him to the annual event.
On the other hand, Bayan Muna party-list’s Rep. Neri Colmenares of Negros Occidental was “dressed to impeach” during the Sona.
With other “Makabayan” bloc members – a group of House members identified with cause-oriented groups – Colmenares wore a peach-colored barong.
They said the color represented their call for Aquino’s removal from office through impeachment.
At the start of Aquino’s speech, Colmenares was seen walking out of the session hall.
Impeachment complaints have been lodged against the President last week. The complainants accused the President of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust over the Disbursement Acceleration Program./PN
