‘Pitoy’ wows DC crowd with Pinoy fashion

WASHINGTON -The Philippines’ foremost fashion designer, Jose "Pitoy" Moreno, showed Washington’s high society what Pinoy-style fashion is all about at a gala reception on Saturday at the posh Ritz-Carlton Hotel to celebrate 100 years of Filipino migration to the United States.

And the general reaction was, "Wow!" 

"The dresses were spectacular and the designs brought back fond memories of my time in the Philippines," John Negroponte, former US ambassador to the Philippines and now director of national intelligence, told The STAR.

Moreno’s models prowled the catwalk in tribal clothes, "Maria Claras," ternos, sayas and embroidered dresses, some of which brought gasps of surprise from some 600 guests including senior US government officials, congressional leaders, diplomats and Filipino-American community leaders. 

Many of the guests came from out of town including New York, New Jersey, Hawaii and California. They paid $225 a head to attend the Centennial Tribute, rub elbows with the powers and shakers of Washington and bid farewell to outgoing Ambassador to the United States Albert del Rosario. 

Part of the gala’s proceeds will go to "Gawad Kalinga," an organization focused on helping the poor build homes.

Other dignitaries in attendance on Saturday included Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo who flew in from Manila to host the event, Congressman Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, a founding member of the US-Philippine Congressional Caucus, and Oligario Cantos, associate director of the White House Office on Domestic Policy.

While Moreno and his models were undoubtedly the stars of the show, the 800-pound gorilla in the ballroom was Ambassador del Rosario whose sudden recall home was the main topic of conversation among many of the guests.

Romulo and Negroponte, the main speakers of the evening, paid tribute to the contributions of Filipinos to their mother country and their adopted country.

From a handful of Filipinos who first arrived to work in the sugarcane fields of Hawaii, the community has grown to some 2.5 million, many of them professionals spread throughout the length and breadth of the United States. Their remittances to the Philippines last year totaled about $6.6 billion. 

Romulo and Negroponte also lauded Del Rosario for his "distinguished and outstanding service" in drawing the Philippines and the United States closer together.

Malacañang said Del Rosario, a business executive before he was tapped in 2001 by President Arroyo as ambassador to Washington, resigned to return to the private sector effective July 8. But Del Rosario himself said he was recalled. 

Whether he resigned or was recalled the surprise announcement of his departure stunned the embassy staff and the Filipino-American and diplomatic community.

It was as sudden as it was unexpected because Del Rosario had already accepted speaking engagements and invitations as far away as November, embassy staffers said.

Organizers of the Centennial Tribute, in an email to the community after Del Rosario announced his recall on June 12, said "we strongly urge you to attend this Saturday’s event and avail of this opportunity to thank Ambassador Del Rosario for his outstanding work and remarkable achievements.  

"It will be a fitting send-off and a much appreciated gesture of our unqualified support that he and Mrs. Del Rosario will forever treasure."  

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations in a statement praised Del Rosario for his vision and leadership and in instilling "in us a sense of pride in our mother country."

"We are deeply appreciative of Ambassador del Rosario’s dedication and commitment — a legacy that will always inspire our efforts to build and empower the Filipino community here in America," the statement said.   

The Filipino community plans to hold a farewell party for Del Rosario on July 7.