Much ado about Barbie

The movie finally opened in cinemas yesterday, and the “tropang ka-pinks” – not just kids but adults too – turned out in full force.

The brouhaha about a map/drawing with supposedly a nine-dash line (which some said was only eight lines) increased the hype. I remember the brouhaha some time ago about the movie Schindler’s List that some quarters wanted banned because of a “pumping” scene as well as scenes showing nude people. The latter were hardly erotic, as they were emaciated prisoners of the concentration camps, and the former was so quick my friend’s driver – who watched the movie because of that – missed it altogether.

I am a fierce supporter of our rights in the West Philippine Sea and our rightful entitlements in our EEZ – what is ours is ours and international law supports us on this, no matter how many lines or dashes another country may draw. A movie awash in blinding pink and fuchsia is not going to diminish our sovereignty or in any way legitimize any false claim. As the President said, it’s a fantasy movie – enjoy it as such.  – Margi Ong-Lopez, Pasig City