Change is coming, and it’s going to look good in barong Tagalog.
Rodrigo Duterte is due to officially step into his new role as President of the Republic of the Philippines on June 30 and members of his family have already started preparations for his oath-taking and inauguration.
Davao vice-mayor Paolo Duterte has already placed his order for a barong Tagalog, to be designed by Davao-based designer Erwin Lee Tan, who owns K Davao (formerly Kasuotan) on JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, which sells both couture and off-the-rack clothes for men and women. He was mentored by the late designer Louie Mamengo.
Paolo’s wife, January, and two children Sabina and Uno, will also be wearing Tan’s designs.
For some time now, Tan, 57, has been making dresses for Duterte’s ex-wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, whom he considers a close friend.
According to him, the Duterte family wants to “keep it simple” so the barong he is making for Paolo will be minimal and straightforward, using piña fiber sourced from Lucban, Quezon.
The Duterte family will be paying for the barong Tagalog and the rest of the clothes. Tan normally charges PHP15,000 per barong, but would not give a price estimate for the Duterte outfits.
Meanwhile, according to ABS-CBN News Online, Digong has asked designers Richard Puloche and Bonie Adaza of Davao’s Chardin, and Surigao designer Kenny Ladaga, to come up with barong designs.
According to Puloche and Adaza, Duterte’s brief was to keep it simple and use piña raya instead of jusi fabric as he is not fond of “itchy” barongs.
Ladaga presented ABS-CBN News with an exclusive first look into the designs for Duterte’s barong. He said the design is inspired by the waling-waling, considered to be the queen of the country’s orchids, and the indigenous groups of Davao.
But it’s too early to tell whose design the incoming President will be wearing — or if he will even be wearing a barong Tagalog.
