Politicians, government executives, and other personalities made statements with their Filipino attire on Monday as they walked the red carpet at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City before hearing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos wore a bright yellow embroidered Maria Clara dress as she sat beside Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio in the VIP section.
In keeping with her Mindanaoan roots, Duterte-Carpio paid tribute to the Moro tribe in a traditional Maguindanaon dress in yellow-gold designed by Cotabato City-based designer Israel Ellah Ungkakay with a matching turban.
Meanwhile, presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos welcomed her brother with an ensemble inspired by the people of the Cordilleras. She matched her outfit with temporary tattoos on her body.
“This is from Cordillera. The fabrics given to me were woven together. This represents the Filipino before we were colonized. This is the vanishing culture,” the senator – the President’s older sister — told CNN Philippines.
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros wore a dress made of piña fiber and woven by the weavers of Lumban in Laguna. She paired her attire with a purse made from Samar and shoes from Marikina.
House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas made a statement with a Filipiniana dress adorned by artwork that represented the public’s opposition to the Maharlika Investment Fund. The artwork was made by local activist-artist Michael Joselo.
“Fashion functions as a mirror to our times. And today, we live in an era where the government ignores our calls for a significant wage increase and chooses to sign a law that will gamble the people’s money instead,” said Brosas in a statement.
Senator Francis Escudero’s wife, actress Heart Evangelista, did not fail to charm with a white Michael Leyva creation.
Sen. Nancy Binay wore a fully embroidered Filipiniana terno designed by Randy Ortiz. The powder blue dress has hints of dove gray geometric senepa abstract patterns coupled with gilded calado/lubid accents all over. She matched her ensemble with a cerulean Beatrice clutch bag.
The men got in the dress-up mood too,. Movie actor-turned politician Sen. Robin Padilla wore a simple barong by Onesimus made of silk cocoon fabric, which he noted was bought for less than P7,000.
Patronizing the creativity of the Filipino artisans, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian donned a Piña Callado Barong, a Jo Rubio signature. The piña material was woven from Aklan while the callado embroidery was made by the embroiderers of Lumban, Laguna.
Sen. Sonny Angara’s wife Tootsy was in a cheery, modern classic, green floral Balintawak by Filipino designer Leslie Mobo. On Instagram, she said she was “happily wearing pastels for the first time in a long time.”