By Macon Araneta i FilAm Star Correspondent
Making good her promise to appear “respectful and decent,” Sen. Nancy Binay on July 23 donned a Randy Ortiz-Filipiniana terno with butterfly sleeves and elegant draping for the third StateoftheNation Address (SONA) by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Senator, who is seeking re-election in the coming May 2019 mid-term elections, however poked fun at the color of her gown, saying, “Nagma-match ako sa carpet. Naha-highlight ako sa carpet. But she readily posed for some photo shoots.
In the House of Representatives, the bloody red gown of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, meanwhile, matched the red carpet at the entrance of the hall.
Binay has been heckled by bashers on social media due to her fashion choices over her “get-ups during the first and secondDuterte SONAs.”
In an earlier interview, Binay said she would look respectful at the third SONA at the House of Representatives in Quezon City. It was Binay’s last SONAin her last term as senator. But she is still eligible to seek re-election.
In one of the SONAs, Binay was strongly criticized for wearing something similar to work-out get-up.
At the 2014 SONA by former President Benigno Aquino III, Binay was called out for her gown which looked like Princess Fiona gown “Shrek.”
Meanwhile, the camp of Senator Cynthia Villar debunked reports that she walked out of the Session Hall during the congressional spouse photo shoot after somebody took over her seat.
Villar’s Office stressed the Senator left the Session Hall as she headed for the individual photo shoot of all senators. It was scheduled earlier before the session started at 10 a.m. but Villar failed to make it as she attended to some other important matters.
Somebody did her seat but she said she no longer minded. “Anyway, I already hadour group photo,” added Villar.
Villar wore a simple knee-length pina with tri-colored embroidered dress in the morning when the Senate opened its session. In the afternoon, she was in a red orange pina suksok with floral embroidery on stylized talis over her skirt. Both were created by another famous designer Noli Hans.
Actress Heart Evangelista, wife of Sen. Chiz Escudero, was in a classic Mark Bumgarner white modern Filipiniana with an LGBTQ rainbow pin on her left chest, symbolizing her love for all.
She wore a nude peep toe heels and carried a beige handbag. Her shoulder-length hair, set in big waves, was done by Jerry Javier; makeup, Albert Kurniawan.
She arrived at the Session Hall with her husbandin traditional barong tagalog.
Jinkee Pacquiao, known for wearing high-end clothes, was dressed in a white
Filipiniana gown with a modern white Filipiniana pantsuit designed by fashion designer Michael Leyva. She wore her hair neatly tied in a low ponytail. She arrived at the Senate with Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
Sen. Grace Poe was in a simple white knee-length terno with a few subtle beaded details.
She came with husband Neil Llamanzares, who was in his usual ponytail.
Sen. Loren Legarda said she was wearing a 10-year-old Filipiniana gown by Paul Cabral.
She arrived at the Senate with her son.
Risa Hontiveros came in a Piña Jusi dress paired with a bolero with butterfly sleeves. The fabric is made by the women of the municipality of Lumban, Laguna, designed by Joel Acebuche.
Other scene stealers were ramp model Prescy, the better-half of Sen. JV Ejercito, and Tootsie, and Aubrey, the wives of Sen. Sonny Angara and Sen. Migz Zubiri, respectively.
On the otherhand, Sen. Bam Aquino arrived carrying second child Baby Coco while firstborn Rorysatin a stroller beside him in white floral dress.
There were only 22 senators of the elected 24 senators who attended the historical event.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano was appointed to the Department of Foreign Affairs as secretary and Sen. Leila de Lima is still detained at the PNP Custodian Center in Camp Crame on drug charges.
