Palace to SONA attendees: Focus on message not attire

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday said fashion would be toned down in the forthcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte as attendees were advised to focus on the message and not the attire.

Department of Finance spokesperson Paola Alvarez said the public should expect the next six SONAs to veer away from being a fashion-centered event as the president wants to keep it simple. She stressed that the real focus of the SONA is the president’s message.

“During the previous  SONAs most people see that this is an occasion where people tend to flaunt their gowns and dresses. We want to step away from this norm that has become and we want to bring back the real essence of  SONA,” Alvarez said in a press conference.

“So, if you would compare it with the other countries, these countries do not actually look on the gowns of the guests but more on the message of the president, this is what we want to do. We would also be seeing this  throughout the six years provided that our members will be more than willing to follow our dress code,” she added.

Alvarez said that SONA attendees were advised to wear business attire but they also have the option to wear Filipiniana. She said that ladies would only be allowed to wear dresses that are not more than knee-length.

“It was specifically asked of us to require the ladies not to have long dresses,” she revealed.

Asked what the president would wear during his first SONA, Alvarez said Duterte would wear a Filipiniana as well but did not identify his designer yet.

Earlier, incoming speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has told his colleagues that Duterte wants a simple first SONA. Ako-Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe said there would be no fashion show in the upcoming SONA as Duterte does not want pomp and pageantry during his address.

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