Youth organization ‘Panday Sining’ released a statement amid the criticisms they received after they protested by painting the Lagusnilad underpass without the permission of the Manila City Government.
In a statement, Panday Sining said that they didn’t intend to annoy the citizens, but only to remind the people about the “worsening poverty, joblessness, and hunger” under the “Duterte regime”.
Panday Sining called what they did as “Graffiesta” a form of expressing their political beliefs by painting.
“That is why Panday Sining, a cultural organization of the youth, conducted its Graffiesta as a response to these worsening economic and political state of the nation,” the group said.
“We understand and recognize the sentiments of the public, but it is also high time that we talk about the worsening attacks to our democratic rights. The purpose of our protest art isn’t to spite the citizens of Manila but to sound the alarm of the public against these injustices. The clear enemy is the fascist US-Duterte regime,” they added.
They said that they’re willing to talk to Mayor Isko Moreno.
“We are very much willing to talk with Mayor Isko Moreno about the matter as he shares the same sentiment about wanting just and lasting peace,” they said.
The group also urged the other artist to “speak out” and criticize the policies of the Duterte administration.
“We call on all artists to speak out and utilize our art as a means to expose the injustices under Duterte and to fight for our democratic rights. We urge the people to oppose the de facto Martial Law and to frustrate the Duterte regime’s attempt to silence us,” they said.
Meanwhile, a lot of netizens criticized Panday Sining on their Facebook page.
“If your goal is to gain awareness, the majority is already aware of the futility of your acts; if you desire to achieve sympathy, you just lost one of the last souls who sympathized with you,” Dennis Reyes said.
“Your works are far from art. Don’t use art as your excuse for your vandalism. Writing in public walls is already an old school way. Use Social Media if you want to be heard,” Marvin go remarked.
Even Mayor Isko Moreno warned the members of Panday Sining not to be caught doing vandalism in Manila or else they’re going to lick their own painting to clean it.
“Wag kayong papahuli sakin, human rights? Pag nahuli ko kayo papadila ko sa inyo to, buburahin nyo to ng dila niyo,” Moreno said.