Sen. Imee Marcos, Lani Mercado, and Isabelle Daza on the Sona 2024 red carpet | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Politics meets fashion once more at President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr’s State of the Nation Address (Sona 2024), as legislators, government officials and other guests proudly showcase their outfits made by Filipino designers.
Unlike the previous years, the best-dressed list is more lowkey, with attendees opting for more simple designs. The guests served elegant looks in their Filipiniana ternos and barong Tagalog. But there are those who surprised everyone on the red carpet by exhibiting their unique style and take to the theme of the day.
Check out this list of personalities who brought glitz and glam to the red carpet this year.
Heart Evangelista
Undoubtedly the most anticipated personality in every red carpet, Heart Evangelista looked absolutely divine in her all white modern Filipiniana designed by Michael Leyva. Prior to her elegant look at the Batasan red carpet, Evangelista graced the opening of the 19th congress at the Senate, donning a white terno top and skirt, with a modern twist.
Heart Evangelista | Image: Instagram/michaelleyva
Sen. Imee Marcos
The presidential sister and lady senator walked the Sona red carpet, donning a Moro-inspired gown that gives off a seeming “Game of Thrones” kind of vibe.
Sen. Imee Marcos | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Lani Mercado-Revilla
Hand-in-hand with her husband, Sen. Bong Revilla, the Cavite 2nd district representative wore a ethnic textile outfit made by Rajo Laurel.
Cavite 2nd district representative Lani Mercado | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Jolo Revilla
The Cavite representative said he is wearing a barong Tagalog showcasing the church of the Mary Magdalene Parish in Kawit which is celebrating its 400th year of Catholic evangelization. His wife, beauty queen Angelica Alita-Revilla wore a pleated modern Filipiniana gown in pink.
Cavite Rep. Jolo Revilla with wife Angel Alita-Revilla. Image from Instagram
Karlo and Marga Nograles
Civil Service Commission chair Karlo Nograles and his wife, Tourism Board COO Marga Nograles both wore creations of Puey Quinones. The lady executive’s gown is a steel blue Filipiniana, adorned with fan-like accents on her skirt and butterfly sleeves.
Karlo Nograles and wife Marga Nograles. Image from Puey Quinones / Instagram
Isabelle Daza
Isabelle Daza | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Daza arrived at the red carpet, donning her simple floral modern Filipiniana. The actress said that she wanted to give her attire a “fun and colorful” vibes.
Bianca Manalo
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and Bianca Manalo | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Fresh from her GMA Gala appearance, beauty queen-actress Bianca Manalo is a beautiful plus-one to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on the Sona red carpet with her modern take of the Filipiniana terno in chartreuse, and which has a floor-length train of the same color. Both were donning creations of Jo Rubio.
Brian Poe Llamanzares
Brian Poe-Llamanzares in a “Llamanzares Barong” from Lumban, Laguna
Sen. Pia Cayetano
The lady senator wore a tasseled black Mia Urquico Filipiniana, which she highlighted with a pearl choker and matching earrings.
Sen. Pia Cayetano | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Jocelyn Tulfo
Sen. Raffy Tulfo’s better half looked absolutely regal in a “chrysalis” terno designed by Rajo Laurel. ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Tulfo accessorized with large diamond earrings and a serpenti necklace from a luxury fashion brand.
Jocelyn Tulfo | Image: Instagram/@rajolaurel
Mayor Honey Lacuna
The Manila city mayor looked radiant in a Jo Rubio black terno with an asymmetrical neckline. The terno sleeves are embellished with intricate hand-beading details of gold filigrees, pearls, and other gems. It also featured a thigh-high slit in one side.
Lacuna said the gown pays homage to the Filipino-Chinese merchants in Ongpin whose pioneering steered Manila into becoming the flourishing city and center of commerce that it is today.
Tootsy Angara
The wife of Education Secretary Sonny Angara donned a modern pink Filipiniana gown with gem-encrusted butterfly sleeves by Mark Bumgarner.
Emmeline Aglipay-Villar
Wife of Senator Mark Villar wore an elegant royal blue Filipiniana by Mark Bumgarner and silver jewelry.
Lucy Torres-Gomez
The actress-turned-politician stunned in a lavender see-through dress by Lulu Tan-Gan, as seen in the video posted on Instagram by her husband, Rep. Richard Gomez.
Sen. Nancy Binay
For her last Sona, the lady senator showed off a creation by Randy Ortiz, the same designer who worked on her outfit when she was elected in 2013.
Stella Quimbo
Marikina’s congresswoman sported a traditional white Filipiniana with a honeycomb design for the skirt, also by Michael Leyva.
Boss Toyo
The Filipino content creator and YouTuber made an unexpected appearance at the Sona red carpet, sporting his embroidered Barong Tagalog with a Chinese collar.
Boss Toyo in Barong | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista