Miriam: No more 'fashion show' during SONA

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago announced Tuesday that she will file a resolution prescribing an official uniform for lawmakers attending the President's annual State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Santiago, who was not present during the SONA, said her proposal seeks to prevent a repeat of Monday's event where lawmakers "took turns displaying 'bling' clothes and jewelry."

"Our law frowns on conspicuous consumption, which I call 'the obsession to bling,' esp. in the midst of acute public want," she tweeted.

I will file a resolution prescribing an official uniform for senators & House members attending the SONA. #SONA2013

— Miriam Santiago (@senmiriam) July 23, 2013

The senator cited the Civil Code, Article 25: “Thoughtless extravagance in expenses for pleasure or display during a period of acute public want or emergency may be stopped by order of the courts at the instance of any government or private charitable institution.”

Santiago said that the country is suffering from “acute public want, because of a high unemployment rate of 7.5% and a high underemployment rate of 19.2%.” She added that the country also faces an emergency, because of our territorial disputes with China and Taiwan.

"The highlight of the SONA is the President. It is not like an Oscar event in Hollywood," Santiago added.

The senator failed to attend the SONA, after continuing to suffer from acute chronic fatigue. She is on medical leave from the Senate.

“I watched TV and could not stand it.  The SONA event should be a serious time for the Congress to pick up policy directions indicated by the President.  It should not be treated as Oscar night in Hollywood, with a red carpet, where peacocks spread their tails and turn around and around, as coached by media in a feeding frenzy,” she said in a statement.

“I was once a clueless participant in those mindless events.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am very proud of our local fabrics and our local designers, some of whom are world-class.  But the SONA event is not the proper venue for their talents,” she added.

Santiago said clothes should merely indicate membership in Congress to separate them from those who are not members.

“The highlight of the SONA is the President.  It is not the flashy women.  Now the flaky men are even getting into the act.  They also parade, sometimes with photogenic arm candy, into the session hall and preen like their female counterparts.  Enough!” she said.

The highlight of the SONA is the President. It is not like an Oscar event in Hollywood. #SONA2013

— Miriam Santiago (@senmiriam) July 23, 2013

She proposed that a historian with a sense of duty, like Gemma Cruz Araneta, should act as consultant for SONA and other Congress events.

Although she described herself as lacking “any intelligent acquaintance with fashion,” the feisty senator suggested some outifts for Congress members.

She said for women, the outift should be a short pencil skirt, paired with a simple short-sleeved barong blouse.  Jewelry should be a single strand of Philippine pearls.

For men, the attire should be a plain long-sleeved barong. 

Both men and women could wear a ceremonial ribbon with the Congress logo, according to Santiago.

“Most important of all, the attitude should not be frivolous and giggly.  The attitude should be serious and businesslike," she said.