Remove the Three Ballerinas at Jaro Plaza

By Noel Gal de Leon

It is becoming increasingly clear, especially after the unveiling on June 27, that the installation of the three ballerina statues at the fountain in Jaro Plaza has failed to earn the public’s support. Instead of inspiring admiration, the ballerinas have sparked confusion, raised serious questions, and drawn widespread criticism. Given this overwhelming response, I firmly urge the local government of Iloilo, or whichever department approved and executed this project, to take decisive action and remove the installation. Public spaces should reflect the culture, history, and values of the community they serve, and this installation clearly does not.

If these ballerinas remain, there will undoubtedly be a growing and more organized clamor for their removal. The public’s initial reactions, particularly on social media, are already indicative of a broader sentiment: bewilderment and dissatisfaction. Ilonggos, from ordinary citizens to respected cultural workers and intellectuals, have questioned the relevance, symbolism, and origin of the ballerinas. Who conceived this idea? What was the intent? Whom does it represent?

In a time when we are all striving to strengthen our cultural identity and deepen our understanding of our own heritage, this installation feels out of place and disconnected. What connection do ballerinas have to the rich cultural and historical fabric of Jaro, Iloilo? Where is the contextual grounding? These are questions that deserve honest answers, not silence or vague justifications. It is critical that we hold accountable those who planned and executed this project using public funds. Transparency is not a luxury. It is a duty, especially when taxpayer money is involved.

We must insist on a public explanation. The people behind this project should face the public and speak about their intentions and processes. Dialogue is essential. Without it, we risk allowing public spaces, which should be reflections of our shared values and stories, to become canvases for disconnected, arbitrary visions. The absence of consultation with the local community is not just an oversight. It is a failure of democratic practice.

What can be done now? There is still time to course-correct. The most constructive move forward is to remove the ballerinas and relocate them to a space where they might make more sense, perhaps in ballet schools or institutions where they would actually be appreciated and understood. Better yet, they could be sold at a minimal cost, with the proceeds allocated to create a monument that truly speaks to Iloilo’s cultural identity. It should be something that resonates with the community, educates future generations, and honors our shared heritage.

I propose a better alternative. Let the Iloilo LGU collaborate with the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) and finally push through with a long-delayed but culturally significant plan — the construction of the Bantayog ng Wika (Language Monument), in partnership with the Hubon Manunulat, a writer’s group from Iloilo. Such a project would not only beautify Jaro Plaza but also elevate it into a site of reflection, cultural education, and pride. It would signal to the community that our local government values cultural relevance and participatory development.

In the end, public spaces are not mere decoration. They are statements of identity. They should inspire, inform, and unify. The ballerinas, while perhaps well-intentioned, miss the mark. They neither reflect who we are nor where we come from. And so, I call on the city government, especially Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu, to listen, truly listen, to the voices of the people. Remove the ballerinas. Let us reclaim our plaza as a space that honors local history, not vague abstraction. Let it be a space that educates, empowers, and elevates the Ilonggo spirit.

It is time to make things right, not just artistically, but culturally, ethically, and democratically.

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Noel Galon de Leon is a writer and educator at University of the Philippines Visayas, where he teaches in both the Division of Professional Education and U.P. High School in Iloilo. He serves as an Executive Council Member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Literary Arts.