‘Kissing auction’ for elder woman in campaign rally condemned

Metro Manila, Philippines - Women's group Gabriela on Sunday, May 4, condemned a campaign rally in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, where local candidates allegedly auctioned an elderly woman for kisses in exchange for ₱5,000.

During the rally, the elderly woman was reportedly called to the stage where re-electionists Mayor Rammy Parayno and Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno conducted a “bidding war for her kisses,” starting at ₱1,000 which eventually reached ₱5,000.

"We are outraged by this reprehensible display where local officials essentially 'auctioned off' an elderly woman’s dignity for their entertainment and the crowd's amusement," said Gabriela Secretary-General Clarice Palce in a statement.

The group likened the incident to Pasig congressional candidate Christian “Ian” Sia’s a lewd joke about single mothers, as well as a subsequent remark about the body of a female staff member. 

“Government officials and aspirants must be held to the highest standards of respecting women,” Palce said, urging voters to choose bets who truly champion women's rights.