SONA 2024 red carpet: Politicians', celebrities' outfits

MANILA, Philippines — For the State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2024 in Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City today, the country's leaders and their partners are wearing outfits that reflect different aspects of Filipino culture.

For his third SONA, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will wear a Barong Tagalog designed by artisans from Lucban, Taal, and Aklan.

Here are what other attendees are wearing at the SONA today:

Sen. Nancy Binay wears an all-Piña Terno handloom-woven by master artisans in Aklan, designed by Randy Ortiz. "The bodice has delicate calado patterns, vintage beadwork, and intricate dove-gray rose cutwork... skirt is adorned with motifs of palay rendered in grain-shaped pearl beads and finished with a flourish of calado floral embroidery at the hemline," the senator's office explained in a statement, adding that the outfit is as "support for local growers and weavers."

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Some opposition lawmakers still pushed through with "protest" fashion despite an earlier directive from the House of Representatives banning such attire.

France Castro (ACT Teachers) and Arlene Brosas (Gabriela) both wore Filipiniana outfits by Francis Yu featuring artwork by Michael Joselo Villanueva.

France's Filipiniana depicted a struggling family at a dinner table, while Arlene's black Filipiniana gown had artwork depicting the fight over Philippine seas.

Another opposition member, Rep. Raoul Manuel of Kabataan Party List, wore a Barong by University of the Philippines Fine Arts student Albert Raqueño with a hand-painted protest artwork against the United States and China.
 

— Videos by Philstar.com/Kristofer Purnell, EC Toledo; video editing by Anjilica Andaya

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