DILG lauds Manila over Panday Sining resolution

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Sunday praised the city government of Manila for declaring the cultural youth group Panday Sining as persona non grata following its numerous acts of vandalism throughout the city.

The Manila City Council passed late Friday a resolution declaring the group as “unwelcome” in the city.

In a statement, DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said, “We congratulate the City of Manila for this clear signal to everyone that it will not further tolerate the defacement of the capital city. It’s time we help government, and that begins by disciplining ourselves. #DisiplinaMuna po. Change starts with us.”

Malaya noted that the local government took 15 years to finally clean the Lagusnilad underpass and other places to make them more accessible and comfortable for commuters, “and yet it took the vandals less than one minute to deface public places.”

In November, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno expressed disappointment over Panday Sining’s vandalism of the walls of Lagusnilad, which had just been cleared of vendors as part of the city’s cleanup and rehabilitation efforts.

The group apologized for writing what it called a form of protest art in the underpass, but explained that this action is a “response to this worsening economic and political state of the nation.”

“What do they spray paint on walls and public places? ‘Join the NPA!’ That is not protest art. That is calling for armed rebellion against the government. That’s advocating anarchy. In truth, these groups are calling for anarchy,” Malaya said.

Last week, DILG chief Eduardo Año ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to go after vandals who will disregard the law and deface government properties.

On 30 November, operatives from the Manila Police District arrested four Panday Sining members, including a minor, who were supposedly caught painting on the walls of the LRT Line 2 during protest actions on Bonifacio Day.

Año clarified that his order is a non-political or apolitical directive.

“We live in a democracy. There are many avenues for them to express their opposition. For instance, social media is free and unregulated. They can conduct protest rallies,” he said.

“But the moment they deface public places, they are now violating the law. We must draw a line. Otherwise that is no longer democracy. That’s now anarchy,” he added.