If you’re expecting to see another "fashion show" at the House of Representatives during President Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) next Monday, stop expecting.

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president, Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez has sent out a call to his House colleagues to dress simply during the July 28 event as part of the government’s austerity measures in light of the disastrous rains and floods caused by recent typhoons coupled with the effects of the southwest monsoon.

This was shared to House reporters by Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin on Thursday, July 24 during a virtual press conference. She accompanied Romualdez, the House Speaker of the previous 19th Congress, during the distribution of aid on Wednesday.

"Napag-usapan yung doon na dapat simple na sa SONA, dapat hindi na marangya, hindi na na parang fashion show because at the end of the day, yung pinaka importante kasi is serbisyo sa taumbayan," Garin said.

(It was discussed that the SONA should be kept simple? it shouldn’t be extravagant or appear like a fashion show because at the end of the day, what truly matters is public service.)

In a subsequent statement Thursday, Romualdez underscored the need for sobriety and sensitivity in the wake of recent natural disasters.

“In the past weeks, Typhoons Crising, Dante, and Emong have displaced families, destroyed livelihoods, and left many of our kababayan struggling to get back on their feet. It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery,” Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), added.

Romualdez said he has requested the Office of the Secretary General, if possible, to retain formal protocols but forego red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage, and ceremonial staging.

“We will still observe decorum and tradition, but without the spectacle. The red carpet will be used for its functional purpose, not as a platform for display,” he said.

Romualdez clarified that members of Congress remain free to speak with media on their way in, as is customary. “This is not about restricting access or silencing anyone. It’s about setting the tone: focused, grounded and responsive."

“The opening of Congress is not a fashion event, it is a working session. Let’s begin it with the seriousness and humility our times demand,” he said.

Held annually at the House of Representatives in Batasan, Quezon City, the SONA is pomp and glamorous affair known in part for its red carpet gala. However, the recent heavy rains am flooding, which affected various parts of the coutnry, have led some solons to call for a more austere SONA.

Garin says there is also an efforrt to "scale down" the SONA in terms of the number of guests. According to her, there's a "verbal request" for solons to bring only one companion.

"Yes, isa na lang yung dadaling ko yung asawa ko (I will only bring one person, my husband)," Garin said.

"So verbal request siya, malamang naman is ipapatupad yan. Inuna lang yung direktiba that can we all dress simply kasi na sa panamit natin yung mararamdaman ng tau,bayan na kakibat natin sila, kasama natin sila," she noted.

(It was a verbal request, so it will likely be carried out. The directive to dress simply came first because through our clothing, the public can feel that we stand with them, that we are one with them.)

Last year's SONA was perhaps the most attended in recent memory, with over 2,000 guest. This included over 1,800 guests seated within the House plenary hall.