Before online marketplaces became a household name in the Philippines, Filipinos trooped to Divisoria for anything under the sun, so that’s just what New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh did to find the perfect Filipiniana outfit.
New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh wears a pink Filipiniana terno that she bought in Divisoria, Manila. (Photo from Amb. McIntosh via X post)
The envoy shared a one-minute video on X (formerly Twitter) of her walking around the stalls in Divisoria and trying out Filipiniana gowns.
“Bagay ba (Does it look nice)?,” she asked in Filipino. “Tara samahan nyo po kami (Let’s go and come with us).”
In the caption of the X post, she added that she “got the full Divisoria experience—bustling streets, beautiful Filipiniana and unbeatable deals.”
The ambassador was seen in the video talking with vendors and trying out different Filipiniana outfits in the stalls.
She was amazed by the variety of items that one can find in Divisoria, a bustling commercial center in the districts of Tondo, Binondo, and San Nicolas in Manila. Its name is synonymous with low-priced goods and diverse products.
“Wow!!! Ang daming pwedeng mabili dito (There are a lot to buy here). Want to know which one I picked? Abangan (Watch out),” she said at the end of the video.
In a separate post, McIntosh showed the dress she picked from those she tried. It was a pink terno that was one of the dresses featured in the video.
“And in case you missed it, this pretty pink set is just one of the gems I found at Divisoria. Excited to share more about these finds soon!,” she wrote.