Senators Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano, Chiz Escudero (with Heart Evangelista), Nancy Binay and Loren Legarda at the red carpet of the Sona 2013. FILE PHOTOS BY ROMY HOMILLADA, ALANAH TORRALBA AND ARNOLD ALMACEN
The House of Representatives will not prohibit, but will only discourage, the traditional fashion show at the second State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Rodrigo Duterte, an official said Wednesday.
In a press briefing, House Secretary-General Atty. Cesar Pareja said guests of the Sona are not prohibited, but they are discouraged, from wearing long gowns.
The Sona has been a venue for celebrity guests and other personalities to flaunt their best designer attire on the red carpet.
READ: No stopping glam and glitz in Sona
The guests in their invitations would be allowed to wear Filipiniana attire or business attire for women, and barong or business attire for men, Pareja said.
Pareja said fashionable attire remains discouraged keeping up with last year’s mood for a downplayed Sona fashion show.
“Dinidiscourage, hindi naman bawal. Ang official statement, Filipiniana dress or office attire,” Pareja said.
Parejas said the glitzier guests are advised to tone it a little if they don’t want to look different from the crowd.
“Nasa kanila na yun kung gusto nila magsuot ng long gown, hindi namin pagbabawalan. Magmumukha lang silang kakaiba sa karamihan. We don’t disallow, we just advise them na sana, sama na lang sa rest of the guests,” Pareja said.
Despite this reminder from Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez last year, celebrity Congress members and other personalities still showed up in designer attire in last year’s Sona.
READ: No fashion show on Duterte’s 1st Sona—Alvarez
Pareja said the Sona is a formal event and a working day, and not a day for guests to flaunt their best attire.
“Even if it’s a formal event, this is still a working day. Nagta-trabaho to listen to the President. Syempre ang isusuot nila, presentable. Kung maiiwasan lang yung long gown,” Pareja said.
Pareja said the red carpet would still be used to mark the important event.
“Even if it’s a working day, there’s a special occasion din naman. Red carpet, we do that to give importance to the event,” Pareja said.
The President is set to deliver his second nation address on July 24. JE
READ: No gowns allowed at ‘downplayed’ Sona, says spox