How these lawmakers made silent declarations through their SONA attires
Clothing often serves as a means of self-expression, allowing individuals to convey their beliefs, emotions, and personal stances without having to say them out loud. For some, like Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Janice Degamo and Atty. Renee Co of Kabataan Partylist, attire becomes a statement.
For President Ferdinand Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address last July 28, Degamo arrived at the Batasang Pambansa wearing a hand-painted sash in honor of her late husband, Governor Roel Degamo.
The sash, created by Negros designer John John Ditching, featured images that conveyed her family's grief and the province's enduring pain after the Pamplona massacre in 2023, which killed her husband and eight others.
Speaking to PhilSTAR L!fe, Degamo said that her ensemble is not a "political slogan" but a "personal crusade."
"As I stood in the halls of Congress during the State of the Nation Address, my presence was not just as a legislator, but as a widow and a voice for justice," she said.
Degamo added, "I wanted the nation to see that even in the solemnity of SONA, we must not forget those who have been silenced by violence."
A call for justice
"My gown was my statement. In a sea of protocol and politics, it was a reminder of the blood that has been spilled, the truth that must be spoken, and the justice that must still be served," she noted.
Degamo wore a floor-length sash over her classic white Filipiniana gown. According to her, the bottom part of the accessory showed the late governor's final moment when he was gunned down beside Florenda Quinikito, the barangay captain of Brgy. Fatima, Sta Catalina, who tried to protect her husband from the bullets.
"That image is painful but necessary. It forces us to confront the brutality of what happened and reminds us of the cost of good governance in a system still plagued by violence," the congresswoman said.
While she admitted that she felt the weight of grief that day, Degamo said she ultimately felt a "deep sense of purpose."
"I was thinking of Roel, of the lives lost in Pamplona, of the families left behind. I thought of all the times Roel and I walked together, full of hope for a better future for our province. Now I walk alone, but I carry him with me," she said. "I also felt the eyes of the people—some sympathetic, some curious, others perhaps dismissive, but I remained focused. I was not there to make a statement for show. I was there to represent truth, pain, and unwavering resolve."
Degamo told L!fe that symbolic actions, such as her SONA appearance, will contribute to keeping the call for justice alive and pushing for actual legal and political action.
"Symbolism has power. It can penetrate where speeches and press releases sometimes cannot. By choosing to visually represent my grief and determination, I hoped to remind lawmakers, officials, and the public that justice delayed is not justice denied if we continue to demand it."
She concluded, "My appearance was a gentle but firm reminder to my colleagues and the entire government [that] there is unfinished business here. A massacre happened. A governor was killed. And we cannot simply move on without accountability. I may be grieving, but I am not defeated. I will continue to stand, to speak, and to demand justice."
An end to political dynasties and corruption
Meanwhile, Co made a strong statement with her dress, condemning political dynasties and systemic corruption.
Co had the skirt that she wore for her UP Law graduation reworked by volunteer artists Gaia Mauricio of Panday Sining and UP Fine Arts graduate Albert Raqueño. It depicted a young Filipina "rising from devastating floodwaters" with her fists in the air.
"The dress features a young Filipina rising from devastating floods to break the seat of power being fought over by local elites propped up by foreign powers, such as the U.S. and China," Kabataan Partylist wrote on Facebook.
It also demands an end to mere resilience in the face of the country's ongoing calamities and crises.
"The youth must rise above the aftermath of disaster, despite still being submerged in floodwaters of social crisis that has swept away basic rights such as education, food security, and other basic needs, and even fundamental principles like justice and accountability," they wrote.
Co urged the new generation to fight against political dynasties and "bureaucrat capitalism." She believes these allow the government to be used for the financial gain of powerful local groups and their supporters.
"Kayo po na nakaupo, tanawin niyo ang tunay na kalagayan ng kabataang Pilipino," she told politicians.
"Sa mga kapwa ko kabataan, panahon na upang buong tapang na wakasan ang agawan ng upuan ng iilang nagmomonopolyo ng kapangyarihan. Marami nang henerasyon ng Pilipino ang natapakan ang mga karapatan at pangarap dahil sa sakim na Trip to Jerusalem na nilalaro ng naghaharing-uri," she said.
Co added, "Ito ang nagbigay-daan sa korapsyon kapwa ng mga Marcos at Duterte – na ngayon pinapalampas lang ng sistema. Mga dayuhang mananakop lang tulad ng U.S. at Tsina ang nakikinabang sa bangayan na ito."
Ultimately, Co affirmed that her SONA attire is a symbol for the new generation to take up space and stand for good governance.
"Tanggapin natin ang hamon ng panahon: magkaisa ang kabataan at mamamayan, tuldukan natin ang bulok na sistema, magsulong tayo ng bagong politika ng pag-asa at pakikibakang itataguyod ng kolektibong pagkilos at bayanihan ng bawat isa," she said.