Garcia, Mary Glo

This diptych plaster tile entitled “Protecting the Nation throughout History” is a homage to the Battle of Mactan and the Diliman Commune. These two historical events contributed great significance in protecting the rights of many, if not all, Filipinos. In the Battle of Mactan, Lapu-Lapu and his warriors fought with their lives to defeat the Spaniards from colonizing the country. In the Diliman Commune, the students, faculty members, and residents of the University of the Philippines Diliman, along with transport workers, protested against the rise of oil prices during the Marcos administration.

With the current collective challenges we face during this pandemic wherein most of us are staying indoors while those in power can get and do anything as they please, these two historical moments encourage us to step up and continue fighting what is for the Filipino community. This means to protect the welfare of the country, most especially its citizens, by demanding transparency and accountability from the government during these difficult times. Garcia incorporated the Philippine eagle as a symbol of Filipinos’ freedom. Along with this, she also included a surgical mask on the eagle and a pair of syringes at the back to show the current state of Filipinos, which is the introduction of new COVID-19 vaccines in the country. Although this may look like the solution to this disease, there is no reassurance that these vaccines do not have side effects, because the government hasn’t completely disclosed if this went through thorough testing before being distributed. Lastly, Garcia made use of a shield with the Philippine flag to represent the Filipinos’ strive to protect their motherland.