Bb. Pilipinas 2023 candidate addresses criticisms on Sto. Nino-inspired nat’l costume

After receiving mixed reactions online for her Santo Niño de Cebu-inspired national costume, Binibining Pilipinas 2023 candidate from Cebu Province Joy Dacoron opted for a festival queen-themed ensemble during the pageant show on Thursday night at the New Frontier Theater.

She also apologized over the issue and said that she took full responsibility for her actions.

Joy, a professional volleyball player, recounted to The STAR on the sidelines of the Bb. Pilipinas press presentation and preliminaries, that an hour after her photo wearing a Sto. Nino-inspired costume was posted online, she was told by her team during the rehearsals that it went viral.

“I asked them, ‘Why?’ And then there were also a lot of positive comments but along the way, nag-spread yung mga negativity,” she said.

The Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) already took down the post from their social media pages, but not before it was circulated by netizens and picked up by online news outlets.

She, nevertheless, thanked the BPCI for halting the “spread of negativity.” “The BPCI is a great organization, (they) spread empowerment (and) there is no (bad) intention in the first place. It was approved and nagawan naman namin ang costume,” stated Joy.

She urged everyone to “not focus on negativity and bashing.” Instead, “let’s all spread kindness,” she said. “I am here (in the pageant) to spread empowerment of women here in the Philippines. I want to be the voice and be an inspiration (to everyone). (I want to) give hope to the youth and to everyone here in the Philippines.”

The costume was “approved in the first place,” she reiterated, though she didn’t specify as to whose approval she sought out. “But I will take all the action kaya nag-sorry lang din ako kasi siguro sometimes when we are overwhelmed hindi na natin naisip yung feelings ng iba. And first of all, it was never my intention to create a commotion or hatred in social media.”

“In Bisaya language, yawa-yawa sa ato ang Senior Sto. Nino, wala man jud (It was never about dishonoring our Sto. Niño). So I wish that let’s not dwell on it anymore. Instead, let’s bring our faith to different people and touch a lot of souls. Because how can you live your life to the fullest of grace, kung ikaw mismo sa sarili mo is spreading negativity.”

What happened was a “lesson or takeaway” for Joy and the others. “Let’s all be responsible in actions that we are taking… We can be creative in all our culture designs… Basta let’s all be wise sa pagpipili. That’s about it.”

“I know Filipino designers are very creative. In the first place, again, it was approved and walang may kasalanan kundi ako because I am the candidate. I’m so sorry. Hindi kasalanan ng BPCI, ni (Cebu) bishop na inaprubahan ako.”

For her part, she just “wants to bring (show) my faith on the national stage.” “It’s my personal choice and I have my (own) story,” she concluded.

The Archdiocese of Cebu earlier described the Cebu province representative’s use of the Sto. Nino vestment as “inappropriate but not sacrilegious,” according The Freeman, this paper’s Cebu-based sister publication.

Fr. Japhet Geonzon, vice chairman of the Commission on Worship of the Archdiocese of Cebu, stated it was inappropriate because a “religious vestment is not intended for pageantry and for anything” outside of its context.

However, it could not also be considered sacrilege because the costume was only a “depiction” and that “she was not exactly wearing the vestment that is blessed.”

But if she wore clothing from religious images or icons and used it in pageantry or any non-religious activity, that would be considered as sacrilege, said Geonzon.

He also told The Freeman that Joy and her team might have the “purest intentions” but these were “mishandled,” adding that there is a “proper place and time” for the Sto.  Niño vestment and that is for “religious purposes. He further noted that a candidate can present the uniqueness of the island-province besides using the Sto. Niño vestment.

Cebu is known for its devotion to the Sto. Niño or the Holy Child Jesus, which is ultimately depicted and celebrated during the Sinulog Festival every January.