'Native ang dating': House exec says SONA will have local theme
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) this year will carry a "native" theme when it comes to both dress code and food. This can be gleaned from statements made by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco to House reporters Monday afternoon, July 17 on the sidelines of a pre-SONA walk-through. "Ang sinabi namin Filipiniana eh (We told them to follow a Filipiniana theme)...Filipiniana yung theme natin, motif (the theme or motif is Filipiniana)," Velasco said. "Siguro yung (Maybe the) diplomatic corps as you know, tradition, they wear business, suit and tie...Pero sa mga (But for the) members of Congress, we expect all of them to wear Barong Tagalog or native," he said. While Velasco said that the House will be more "liberal" with what women legislators would wear compared to the men, they see still expected to follow the theme. "Ang tawag natin ngayon doon sa women legislators, culturally-appropriate. Kasi hindi natin madidictate sa mga women eh na kailangan naka-barong kayo (We expect women legislators to wear what we call culturally-appropriate outfit. It's because we cannot dictate to the women that they need to wear barong)," Velasco said. "Yung mga galing kasi sa ibang areas mayroon silang cultural costume eh no, influenced by their tradition (Those who hail from certain areas have their own cultural costumes influenced by their tradition)," added the highest-ranked civilian official in the House. The SONA this year will take place on July 24. As per tradition, it will be held at the House of Representatives in Batasan Complex, Quezon City. As for food and snacks on that day, a Filipino menu will also be observed, according to Velasco. "We will also try to serve Filipino food. Yung meryenda natin (Our meryenda) will be I think catered by Via Mare. So you'll have puto bumbong, bibingka, mga ganyan. Para native ang dating (So that the theme would be native)," Velasco said.