Attendance was down compared to past SONAs, as not a few guests opted to watch the president’s speech, his final address to the Filipino people, on Zoom. Still, a number of ladies dared to brave the threat of a more contagious Delta variant by trooping physically in style to the Batasan.
By Alex Y. Vergara
After having covered in-person several editions of the red carpet fashion that preceded every president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa—from then Presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino to President Rodrigo Duterte—I’ve noticed that this year’s edition is a decidedly more subdued event, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to disrupt life as we know it for nearly two years now.
Thus, just like during last year’s SONA, I chose to observe this year’s political-cum-fashion event virtually. As expected, attendance yesterday afternoon, Monday, was low, with both the South and North wings of the Batasan, which used to function as virtual catwalks for the country’s most visible and most powerful personalities in years past, partly turned into COVID-19 testing centers hours before President Duterte’s arrival, according to our source.
“There’s a small area in the South wing where they did a low-key ribbon cutting earlier, but other than that, nothing,” said the source, who requested not to be identified. “Guests were allowed to pass through both wings after testing negative, but gone are the days when they stopped and chatted with groups of reporters and had their pictures taken.”
And as COVID-19 cases again continue to rise because of the more contagious Delta variant, not a few A-list personalities also opted to watch the president’s final SONA virtually over Zoom from the safety and comforts of their homes. Still, a number of fashionable ladies braved the threat of catching coronavirus in style, albeit in decidedly more subdued looks, by trooping physically to the Batasan.
Many of these women opted to wear their patriotism on their sleeves, bodices and skirts by slipping into ensembles partly made from fabrics and beaded finery by the country’s local artisans based mostly in remote rural areas in Mindanao and Northern Luzon. Such attempts may seem frivolous to some, but let us remember that they also give a much-needed boost to our ailing fashion and creative industries, which also employ countless workers whose families, like those of the country’s indigenous craftspeople, are also dependent on them.
Here’s a sampling of what they wore:
Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat – The personable tourism chief proudly wore Philippine-made items to the SONA, from her black terno by Cary Santiago, statement bag by Bea Valdes, to her pearl earrings by Jewelmer. The Cebu-based designer, in his words, did “a bespoke dress” that pays homage to the traditional terno, “while being distinctly modern.” He adds: “The lady (referring to Berna), who’s constantly in the public eye” deserves something timeless. Thus Cary fashioned “silk diamond patterns made of painstaking cut-outs” to embellish and form part of the skirt with a “sheath silhouette.”
Rep. Stella Quimbo – This emerald green Mikado silk terno top and ball skirt by Marga Nograles for Kaayo is hand-beaded using upcycled materials by the T’boli tribe living along Lake Sebu in Mindanao. Long a champion of clothes incorporating materials made by indigenous Filipinos, the congresswoman from the city of Marikina didn’t let the occasion pass without showing her patriotism on her sleeves (and bodice).
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte – Designed by Ronaldo Arnaldo, this celadon green dress on Mayor Joy is a classic terno made more wearable and apropos to the afternoon event because of its abbreviated length. It features an asymmetric draped skirt with bow insert details and leaf embroidery accents on the bodice and sleeves.
Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar – Her beige and black “banig” terno with inverted sleeves is the handiwork of designer Ivar Aseron, who first unveiled a similar piece at the TernoCon 2020 event.
Rep. Len Alonte-Naguiat – The slim lawmaker from the city of Biñan looks six-feet tall in Michael Leyva’s cream pantsuit terno made of silk gazar mixed with piña silk. Apart from the oversized folded details on the bodice, almost nothing gets in the way of the look, creating one continuous and uninterrupted silhouette from top to bottom.
Sen. Grace Poe – For Sen. Poe, Michael Leyva designed a two-piece black-and-white terno ensemble made of silk gazar. Adding to the short skirt’s casual, afternoon vibe is it’s A-line silhouette.
Rep. Sol Aragones – It only took a Michael Leyva for the congresswoman from Laguna to chuck her old, elaborate and often busy SONA choices in favor of this sleek and semi-structured terno with subtle polka dot details in fuchsia. Again, for his main material, Michael used a blend of silk gazar, piña silk and abel fabric from Abra.
Rep. Bernadette Herrera Dy – The party-list representative of Bagong Henerasyon also sought the assistance of Marga Nograles and her Kaayo team, who came up with this form-flaterring terno made of locally woven material and hand-embellished with T’boli-inspired beadwork by sewers from Mindanao.
Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan – The congresswoman from the second district of Ilocos Sur opted for a two-piece ensemble also from Kaayo. Consisting of a puff-sleeved top handwoven by Sabangan Abel weavers from Ilocos Sur and a handwoven A-line skirt ball skirt from Marawi, the outfit was literally sourced from both ends of the country.
Rep. Sheryl Montalla – The congresswoman from Zambales sought designer Randy Ortiz, who fashioned an iconic lubid or rope-embroidered terno in blush pink.
Rep. Sam Alfonso – The congresswoman from Cagayan also wore a Randy Ortiz to the president’s last SONA. This time, Randy did a classic baro for her, which he then paired with a delicate-looking embroidered skirt.
Virtual attendees
Three prominent ladies, Vice President Leni Robredo, Rep. Loren Legarda and Marga Nograles, wife of Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also honored the event by witnessing it virtually. Leni and Loren both wore designs by Michael Leyva, while Marga slipped into one of her own designs for Kaayo.
Loren, a long-time proponent of indigenous weaves and accessories from all over the country, said that she chose to wear a two-year old design by Michael made from a fabric woven by certain tribespeople from Mindanao. To complete the look, she wore a “Future is Creative” pin in support of the country’s creative industries, many of which are suffering a direct blow because of the pandemic.
Marga, creative director of Kaayo, wore an orange terno in inaul weave. The fabric, which literally means woven in the vernacular, is vintage, handed down from generation to generation before it was turned into a terno.
“It’s luxurious texture is a blend of silk and gold threads infused into the pure cotton threads and woven in complicated techniques by Maguindanao weavers from South Cotabato,” she shared with PeopleAsia.
The VP, on the other hand, opted for a teal silk number with oversized sleeves and fabric trims that appear Mindanaoan in origin. “Since I won’t be fully vaccinated yet on the day of the SONA, I won’t attend physically. I will attend via Zoom,” she reportedly said.
