Doves have long symbolized freedom, peace, and hope—the image of something unbound, something that rises without restraint—but what happens when the very symbol of freedom is the one being restrained, controlled, and forced into stillness?
During the Easter Salubong, a tradition meant to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the triumph of life over death, a white dove was cable-tied to a rod with its wings forcibly spread to mimic flight, later reportedly attached to balloons and released—transforming what should have been a sacred expression of renewal into a carefully staged illusion of freedom.
This is not harmless symbolism; this is the erasure of meaning, where a living creature is reduced to an object, and where the idea of freedom is performed for an audience while being actively denied to the very symbol meant to represent it.
Under Republic Act No. 8485, as amended by RA 10631 or the Animal Welfare Act of the Philippines, any act that inflicts unnecessary suffering, harm, or distress on animals—including their use for entertainment, display, or ritual in ways that compromise their welfare—is punishable by law, making this not only a moral issue but a potential legal violation.
The irony is brutal. The dove, a representation of the Holy Spirit—of freedom, grace, and divine presence—was denied the very thing it stands for. There is nothing holy about restraint disguised as reverence. No faith worth defending demands cruelty to sustain its image
The Animal Kingdom Foundation has already reached out to the diocese involved and is currently awaiting a response, but accountability should not hinge on whether institutions choose to acknowledge harm—it should be immediate, transparent, and rooted in the recognition that what occurred was wrong.
Because when cruelty is excused under the guise of tradition, when spectacle is prioritized over empathy, and when faith is reduced to performance at the expense of a living being, what remains is not devotion but a system that normalizes harm and calls it sacred.
Demand accountability from those responsible, call on religious institutions to end the use of live animals in ceremonies, and support animal welfare organizations pushing for humane and ethical alternatives—because silence only ensures that these practices continue, unchallenged and unchanged.
And if the very symbol of freedom can be restrained, displayed, and discarded in plain sight, then what we are left with is not a celebration of faith, but a stark reminder of how easily freedom can be taken, reshaped, and presented as something it was never allowed to be.
Written by John Benedict N. Banday, Insight PH
John Benedict N. Banday, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
