Giant Gloria/Hitler Effigy Is SONA Protest Centerpiece

This year’s SONA will display a horrendous caricature of Mrs. Arroyo contorted into a chilling 13-foot resemblance of Adolf Hitler. The intention behind the Hitler analogy is to parallel the fascist repression carried out by Hitler along with Arroyo’s all-out war against the leaders, members and supporters of people’s organizations and other critics of the president.

By Joshua F. Castro
Contributed to Bulatlat

In the Philippines, the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) has become a yearly event for Filipinos, as well as their compatriots from all over the globe, to speak out in opposition against U.S.-backed Philippine puppet regimes such as that of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

On SONA day, the Filipino people look forward to the huge peoples’ march in Quezon City from the Commonwealth Avenue toward the Batasan complex. (Other protests are slated in many provincial centers as well in overseas.) The (in)famous presidential effigy has always been the centerpiece of these events.

This year’s SONA will display a horrendous caricature of Mrs. Arroyo contorted into a chilling 13-foot resemblance of Adolf Hitler. The intention behind the Hitler analogy is to parallel the fascist repression carried out by Hitler along with Arroyo’s all-out war against the leaders, members and supporters of people’s organizations and other critics of the president.

People behind the effigy

Despite the complexity of the effigy’s construction, the forces of the production are not expensive tools or machines, but rather a large helping of elbow grease and human ingenuity. 

The clever brains behind this monumental task are none other than members of the cultural organization UGATLahi.

UGATLahi, an artist’s organization focused on creating aptly named “protest art”, has been a major contributor to the people’s movement since its founding at the University of Santo Tomas in 1995.  The organization, currently comprised mostly of young students, along with elder trade professionals, has been working around the clock to create the effigy of Mrs. Arroyo. 

Raul Ignacio “Iggy” Rodriguez, one of the main project coordinators of the group, talked about both the ideological focus behind the work of the organization as well as its current task of creating the effigy of “Asia’s Queen of Anti-Terrorism.” 

“Making effigies of the present Philippine president has come to be a much-enjoyed part of the SONA festivities,” said Rodriguez. 

Rodriquez said his group has been working on the effigy since last Thursday. One could see the noticeable progress of their work as they had already created a rough likeness of GMA’s head.  “What you have not seen, however, is the great deal of collective work which has gone into the planning process of creating this effigy,” says Rodriguez. 

Tirelessly working alongside the young members of UGATLahi are three carpenters who give the technical skill and experience in this huge undertaking.

Rodriguez revealed, “Mang Naldo, Mang Domeng, and Mang Vinnie provide their expertise and service to us for only the cost of food and transportation. We greatly appreciate their commitment as they have been volunteering their time with us since 1999. ” The intricacy of the effigies throughout the years shows that the trio of carpenters pay close attention to details in their work. 

Recycled materials

Because of budget limitations, UGATLahi faces the challenge of creating an impressive and complex work of art, while at the same time conscious of the bottom line.

When asked about the materials used to create the effigy, Rodriguez began to smirk.

“The clay we are using to create the head and hands of Gloria has been in our possession since the mid 1990’s.  Much of our materials is either recycled or donated,” Rodriguez said.

Household materials also come in handy. GI [galvanized iron] wire is used to create skeletons for the effigy’s structures as well as to provide a means with which to connect certain parts of the effigy together.   

Political statement   

Irad Sancho, 18, vice president of the UGATLahi chapter at EARIST, said, “The purpose of the effigy is to expose GMA for what she truly is.”

“As artists, we always have to remember that we should not consider ourselves the center of attention,” Rodriguez humbly said. “Much like how the mobilization of the masses during this year’s SONA should be regarded as the focus rather than the effigy. The masses, rather than the artists, should be regarded as the center of the movement for national democracy in the Philippines.” Bulatlat