Veteran actress Agot Isidro suggested that the outfits used by attendees for the State of the Nation Address be auctioned for a “good cause.”
The actress on Tuesday posted the following on the X (formerly Twitter) platform:
“Ok, so can we now auction the outfits worn at the SONA for a good cause?”
She also included the hashtag “#justathought.”
Her post has reached 263 likes, 26 reposts, and seven replies so far, with some Filipinos agreeing with her idea.
“Onga,” an online user commented in the repost.
For President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ‘s third SONA, simplicity reigned among attendees who walked the red carpet at the Batasang Pambansa Complex on July 22.
Some female attendees donned traditional Filipinianas with a modern twist, while others chose to don ethnic wear.
Actress Heart Evangelista, despite being a fashion influencer, wore a plain white Filipiniana and said that her outfit “has no meaning.”
“At the end of the day, it’s not really about us,” she said to reporters on Monday.
Presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos, however, stood out among the attendees with her “Moro armor-inspired” outfit.
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In this year’s SONA, there were some renewed criticisms about the attention given to the attendees’ outfits.
“Another bad legacy of the FVR administration: Fashion show at the SONA,” an online user said, referring to the administration of late president Fidel V. Ramos.
The X user also shared a screengrab of an article that said that dressing up in Filipino-inspired attire for the occasion started in Ramos’ term.
The same concern was raised on social media last year when Marcos held his second SONA.
Some Filipinos commented that given the spotlight on the attendees’ outfits, it appeared to be a “fashion show” instead of a national event that is supposed to highlight the state of the country.
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House Secretary General Reginald Velasco previously said that the SONA is a “format event.”
“So coat and tie, or barong, or an outfit paying homage to our culture [are appropriate],” he said before.
The SONA is a joint session of lawmakers from the upper and lower chambers that hears the president discuss the country’s current conditions and what he plans to achieve, among other things.
