Batasan turning into fashion ramp?

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will wear a meticulously designed Barong Tagalog for his third State of the Nation Address (SoNA) today.

In a Viber message to reporters on Sunday, Malacañang said the barong will be a masterpiece of collaboration by artists from five provinces.

“(The President’s) SoNA barong is a collaborative work of artisans from Lucban, Quezon; Taal, Batangas; and Aklan,” Malacañang said.

Lucban is renowned for its intricate hand-woven textiles. The base fabric of President Marcos’ barong was sourced from this town, ensuring a high-quality foundation.

The artisans of Lucban are celebrated for their precision and dedication to maintaining traditional weaving practices, passed down through generations.

The detailed embroidery that adorns the barong was the handiwork of skilled embroiderers from Taal, Batangas. Taal’s artisans are revered for their meticulous craftsmanship.

Aklan, particularly famous for its piña (pineapple) fiber, provided the luxurious fabric that adds a distinctive sheen to the barong.

Piña weaving is a painstaking process, involving the extraction of fine fibers from pineapple leaves. The result is a lightweight, elegant fabric that is both durable and visually stunning.

Aklan’s piña weavers are considered some of the best in the world, and their contribution to the President’s barong is a testament to their skill and dedication.

Meanwhile, some government officials attending the SoNA may also be making bold statements through their attire.

Senator Risa Hontiveros will wear a sleek interpretation of the baro’t saya made of piña designed by Joel Acebuche. Her shoes are from Zapateria Marikina. Hontiveros will carry a handwoven “tikog” purse.

Senator Raffy Tulfo will wear a barong designed by Rajo Laurel and inspired by the anahaw leaf, one of the country’s national symbols.

Tulfo’s spouse, Congresswoman Jocelyn Tulfo, will wear a terno made of Champagne Gold Silk Lamé, created from “our signature Chrysalis series.”

Senator Nancy Binay’s terno will display a “timeless elegance” emphasizing Filipino heritage and haute couture.

Binay will grace the opening of the Senate’s third regular session of the 19th Congress in an “exquisite all-piña terno by designer Randy Ortiz, meticulously handloom-woven by the master artisans of Aklan.

“The terno’s bodice captivates with its delicate calado patterns, vintage beadwork, and intricate dove-gray rose cutwork,” according to one privy to its creation.

Binay’s skirt is a “vision of opulence, adorned with motifs of palay (rice stalks) rendered in grain-shaped pearl beads and finished with a flourish of calado floral embroidery at the hemline.”