Last Friday, Congress declared that following the damage caused by last week’s storms, it is downplaying the spectacle at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SoNA) in Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon City today.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said that in solidarity with the typhoon victims, “The red carpet will be in place strictly for ingress and official protocol. There will be no staged ceremonies, fashion coverage, or photo setups in the red carpet area. Members may still be approached by media for brief, impromptu interviews.”

Although there is no “fashion coverage,” House members are still required to wear “traditional Barong or Filipiniana in keeping with the solemn tone of the occasion.”

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero affirmed that the Senate will do the same and tone down the pageantry at the red carpet, when it opens a new session this morning before the solons attend the president’s SoNA.

“No red carpet at the Senate,” said Escudero, who himself was a popular subject of past SoNA fashion coverages together with his wife, actress Heart Evangelista, who already posted her presumed draped, white SoNA terno designed by Filipino fashion designer Michael Leyva.

But also last Friday and Saturday, different groups gathered in Manila to celebrate Filipino fashion and design. At last Friday’s “TelaHistoria” launch and first-ever Philippine Fashion Week by the Calgary International Fashion and Arts Week last Saturday, both in Pasay City, internationally-renowned Filipino fashion experts weighed the pros and cons of toning down fashion at the SoNA.

Philippine Fashion Week co-founder, fashion events director Joey Espino Jr.

Joey, who co-founded the longest-running fashion event in the country and one of the biggest fashion weeks in the Asia Pacific together with his brother Audie in 1997, said that while the SoNA should rightly focus on the President’s address, fashion is also important.

“If it’s the SoNA, it should be the president’s address. It should be the main focus, but we shouldn’t be forgetting what we are and who we are,” he said.

“I mean, so Philippine culture, fashion and all that are still relevant and it defines who we are as Filipinos today. So I guess, the best thing to do is preserve the culture, be ready for what changes are happening, and embrace it, but at the same time we have to know what our priorities would be.

“Supporting our country to become a good one is what we should be thinking of, and we should support whoever is the one who could run the country in the most effective way, and there should be unity among Filipinos to be able to move forward, but we shouldn’t forget who we are, what we are and what we represent.”

If he could ask something from Marcos on what to address to benefit the fashion industry, Espino said: “I think just like in any sector of the whole country, they have to give support because fashion defines who we really are and it’s about the present time. We have to inculcate, preserve and move forward to be part of the international fashion map. And we have to be proud of who we are as Filipinos.”

Limuel Vilela, Filipino-Canadian director, Calgary International Fashion and Arts Week (CIFAW) president and chief executive officer (CEO)

Beyond clothing, fashion, said Vilela, helps boost tourism, so government support is crucial for fashion wherever possible.

“Because we’re not only bringing fashion because it’s also a part of tourism. So, now in Calgary, we are bringing people from all over Canada… Actually, the Filipino Consulate General of Calgary is supporting this event.”

Raymond Villanueva, fashion events director

Villanueva, who is directing the upcoming “TelaHistoria” fashion show on 1 August in Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City, believes that there is nothing wrong with fashion, but with “the image of fashion” at the SoNA.

“Because you know that we are in a crisis, you know, a natural crisis, and you know that’s happened every time… the last one or two years ago, I did a fashion show, and then since the models were government officials, they also said, ‘I think Raymond it’s not good to emphasize too much on that fashion… I don’t think this is the best time,'” Villanueva recalled.

Fashion, he said, should be a showcase of Philippine design and sustainable weaves, so people hitting red carpets like that of the SoNA should be conscious to not make fashion look like a mere contest for style privilege.

According to him, designers then of SoNA outfits used to describe the outfits they made to be composed of imported fabrics like Silk Gazar and Organza. But after the pandemic, he is happy that more and more designers are championing local materials and textiles.

“We cannot showcase a lot of flamboyancy… I think, being fashionable and being acceptable are part of our culture… you have to respect yourself…”

Bambbi Fuentes, celebrity makeup artist

Fuentes, whose namesake Hair and Makeup Studio will be doing the hair and makeup of the “TelaHistoria” models, said: “Being fashionable, presentable is part of our culture. That is innate to us.”

“In the provinces, remember, they even borrow money just to be able to dress up well in a fiesta? That has been our culture from way back when,” pointed out Bambbi, adding that she is already fully-booked today for the SoNA.

For her, fashion can help uplift people’s spirits even at times of crises.

“Mayroon na ngang baha, tapos malulungkot ka pa sa fashion, wala na bang mas nakakalungkot? (There is already flood, then you would even become sad with the fashion, what else can be more saddening?) Whereas you see beautiful faces, you feel inspired. It’s an aspiration. Not to flaunt the Chanel, Louis Vuitton, the Prada, but flaunting Filipino fabrics is much better. Hindi naman tama ‘yung magpa-bongga. Kampante lang na maging presentable ka (It’s not good to be ostentations, but just be content to be presentable) in a good way.”

Cai Cortez, actress and Taytay, Rizal councilor

“So hindi kailangang milyones ang suotin ng ating mga congresswomen at congressmen! Kahit po sa Taytay, mayroon kaming P300 na bolero, ‘pag sosyal ang hitsura mo, madadala mo s’yang parang yayamanin ka. Kaya dapat nasa lugar ang pagdadamit mo para sa okasyon (Our congresswomen and congressmen don’t have to wear something that costs millions. Even in Taytay, we have 300-peso boleros. If you already look classy, you can make it look expensive. So your style should really suit the occasion),” the daughter of actor Rez Cortez urged her fellow politicians and other luminaries attending the SoNA.

“At the end of the day, nasa pagdadala lang ‘yan (it’s just how you carry yourself)!”