Fashion ‘political’ statements in Noy’s second Sona

Overshadowed in Noynoy’s Second Annual Bashing of the Arroyos yesterday were the fashionable political statements some members of the House of Representatives tried to convey as they walked down the aisle of the largest bastion of conservatism in the country.

Militantly yet femininely, Emmie de Jesus of Gabriela donned a baby pink panuwelo creatively crafted by Marikina’s fashion designer par excellence, Ruel Rivera, with lilac nouveau art text spelling out her call to “Scrap eVAT.”

With a minimalist silver gray Italian gazar-cut gown, Emmie’s dress was accented with embroidered fuschia leaves and flowers, complementing the panuwelo with its political call.

According to Emmie, the Rivera-designed gown reflects her duty as a representative of the women sector to bring the voices and demands of poor women to Noy’s Sona.

And what a way to bring their collective voices other than call for the scrapping of the eVAT as it only burdens poor women the most as they have the least funds to shell out.

Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna on the other hand, wore a Barong Tagalog designed by Edgar San Diego, one of the pioneering members of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP).

The barong woven out of beige silk cocoon with an isemetric embroidery calling for the immediate passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, one of Teddy’s pet advocacies.

According to Teddy, who last year wore a barong inspired by the call for a stop to the political killings, the FoI Bill-inspired barong is meant as a message for the President and the House leadership to act quickly to pass the measure which he claims will vastly improve transparency and accountability in government.

by Charlie Manalo