Filipino women activists took off their formal wear on Wednesday (Manila time), revealing shirts with anti-World Trade Organization (WTO) slogans to express opposition to international agreements being forged at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center in Indonesia.
The flashmob was led by Jean Enriquez, National Coordinator of the World March of Women (WMW). Enriquez came to Bali from a series of relief missions in Central Philippines that was flattened by typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).
“The [Philippine] government could not even coordinate its disaster response, it ought to focus on the recovery of our country instead of committing further to WTO,” she said.
In the middle of the song, the women leaders took off their formal wear and revealed shirts with slogans “Climate Justice Now! End WTO.”
“The WTO is not interested in curbing emissions and shifting to low-carbon future, because free trade and investment run on OIL and other fossil fuels,” Mary Ann Manahan, Program Officer of Focus on the Global South, and one of the flashmob participants said.
Flashmob participants also included Ana Maria Nemenzo from WomanHealth Philippines, Hazel Cotoner from Center for Migrants Advocacy, Rebecca Miranda of the National Rural Women’s Coalition, and others who are initiating actions inside and outside the convention center.