The baro and the making of Filipino identity

Every strand of piña, abacá and jusi woven into the barong Filipino carries with it a long struggle for recognition — not only as the Philippines’ national dress for men, but as a living symbol of Filipino identity. Embedded in its sheer fabric and intricate embroidery is the nation’s enduring quest for acceptance, dignity, and freedom, expressed through patterns steeped in culture and tradition.

“The barong Filipino overcame many obstacles, the biggest of which is the Filipinos’ own colonial mentality,” said cultural advocate and Gawad CCP awardee Nicanor Tiongson during his special lecture at COSLAB 2, the Costume Design and Construction Laboratory for Philippine Theater workshop, held recently at the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde.

Organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines through its Production Design and Technical Services Division, COSLAB is a series of ladderized workshops and lectures devoted to Philippine dress. The program began with the traje de mestiza of the 1890s to 1920s. COSLAB 2 shifted its focus to the baro — the men’s shirt — tracing its evolution from the 1800s through the 1920s and 1970s. Dr. Tiongson was invited to share his expertise with both emerging and seasoned Filipino designers.

Having borne witness to centuries of colonization, war, and shifting governments, the barong Filipino stands as an active participant in Philippine history. “There is still a need to write a scientific history of the development of this garment,” Dr. Tiongson noted, underscoring how much of its story remains to be formally documented.

The humble origins of the barong Filipino

Long before Spanish colonization, Filipinos already had distinct forms of dress. From the 16th to the 17th century, clothing typically consisted of the badu — a shirt reaching the mid-thigh — and the bahag. These garments gradually adapted to Christianization and Hispanization, yet retained their indigenous foundations.

Even after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, European fashion remained largely inaccessible to the indios. Poverty and social restrictions limited their choices, but from these constraints emerged a distinctly Filipino mode of dress. “These indios might have been chained to their little barrio from birth to death, but I believe their baro are the direct ancestors of the present barong Filipino,” Dr. Tiongson explained.

By the 19th century, members of the emerging elite began favoring the baro for studio photographs and formal portraits. As the garment became urbanized, Western elements such as collars, cuffs and the embroidered chest panel known as the pechera were incorporated. Still, the baro followed Filipino taste and sensibility, shaped by climate and custom. Church outings became social displays, with men pairing the baro with hats and canes, while the lower and middle classes retained simpler versions for daily practicality.

“By the end of the nineteenth century, the baro had assumed the look it has today — a shirt of piña or jusi, half-open and buttoned in front up to a small collar, with long loose sleeves ending in buttoned cuffs,” Dr. Tiongson recounted.

Filipino presidents and their strategic fondness for the baro

From marker of social standing to instrument of state symbolism, the baro featured prominently across successive administrations. 

“The development of the barong was always based on the presidents,” Dr. Tiongson observed. 

President Manuel Quezon wore versions embroidered with Commonwealth emblems, while officials during the Japanese period donned the baro in line with the slogan “Asia for Asians.”

President Ramon Magsaysay, however, elevated the garment’s stature. “It developed a famed reputation, a nobility, because of him,” Dr. Tiongson said. The man of the masses was sworn into office wearing a barong Filipino — the first president to do so — imbuing it with democratic symbolism. His successor, Carlos Garcia, continued this practice, reinforcing the “Filipino First” policy through the use of locally made materials.

In 1961, President Diosdado Macapagal was likewise inaugurated in a barong Filipino. His term saw the emergence of the all-over style, characterized by intricate callado embroidery covering the entire bodice. It was also during his presidency that the barong Tagalog was officially declared the national costume for men. Later administrations sustained this tradition, with variations in length, cut and embellishment reflecting changing tastes and political images.

Dr. Tiongson explained: “An all-over baro is embellished with callado (intricate embroidery) on the entire bodice of the shirt. It was also Macapagal who officially declared the barong Tagalog as the national costume for men.”

Choosing the barong Tagalog for all formal occasions, President Ferdinand E. Marcos popularized the waist-length shirt baro. President Fidel Ramos, who wasn’t fond of fancy attire, continued the tradition of wearing the national dress for the inauguration.

With its precious embroidery and vibrant fabric, the baro fought its way into banquets, inaugurations, formal portraits and family pictures. It then succeeded, spinning itself into a marvelous item of clothing that commanded sincere respect and attention from everyone in the room.

The barong Filipino as an evolving garment

Today, the barong Filipino continues to evolve while remaining faithful to its purpose. Designs are now tailored to specific occasions, functions, and budgets. 

“The baro of today comes in bright colors to answer the needs of actors, singers and other fashion enthusiasts,” Dr. Tiongson noted. 

Contemporary interpretations have seen the garment paired with shorts, exaggerated sleeves, or even reimagined as outerwear. While innovation is welcome, he cautioned designers to remain mindful of function and wearability.

With its enduring form and adaptive spirit, the barong Filipino demonstrates that growth need not come at the expense of heritage. Its journey affirms the Filipino capacity to change with the times while honoring the past. “All in all, the baro has become acceptable to Filipinos because it answers their specific needs. It is theirs and is indeed a living garment,” Dr. Tiongson concluded.

COSLAB 2 was held in partnership with Slim’s Fashion and Arts School of De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde and featured workshops on pattern-making and basic tailoring facilitated by Gawad CCP Para sa Sining awardee and TernoCon pillar Gino Gonzales.