Gabriela Party to MisOr gov: Health care is not ‘beauty pageant’

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A leader of Gabriela Women’s Party in Northern Mindanao called out reelectionist Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia for his sexist remarks about the nursing profession in the course of campaigning for the May 12 elections.

In a now widely criticized comment, Unabia, speaking in Bisaya, told his audience in Villanueva town on April 3 that his administration’s scholarship for aspiring nurses is reserved only for “beautiful women” as unattractive ones supposedly worsens a patient’s medical condition.

Human rights lawyer Beverly Selim-Musni of Gabriela—Northern Mindanao condemned Unabia for his “offensive” and “dangerous” remarks.

“Reducing healthcare to a beauty pageant insults the professionalism, compassion, and sacrifice of our present and future nurses, regardless of gender or appearance,” Musni told the Inquirer in reaction to Unabia’s public statements.

“Sickness is not healed by a pretty face, but by skilled, dedicated hands and a heart for service. We need leaders who uplift our frontliners, not mock them,” she added.

READ: Caring for health workers is caring for citizens’ health

On Sunday, the Facebook page “Team Paglaum,” which provides updates on the campaign activities of Unabia and his ticket, downplayed the governor’s sexist rhetoric as “a lighthearted remark to capture the attention of the audience” who were listening to him at 9 p.m. in the evening already.

“It was never intended to offend or demean anyone. If the remark caused discomfort or misunderstanding, we sincerely apologize,” the group said.

But Unabia, himself, had not taken back his sexist remarks.

The Unabia administration’s nursing scholarship program, now on its second year, was conceived to help assuage the province’s acute shortage of nurses. with a report from Ryan D. Rosauro