The return of the balintawak

THE third edition of Ternocon culminated with the judging of 12 finalists and awarding of three winners on Jan. 28, 2023. Because the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ main theater is under renovation for the next three years, the event was held at the CCP’s new Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez black box theater at the corner of Jalandoni and Sotto streets. Though it is much smaller and less grand than the CCP without the historically significant brutalist architecture of National Artist Leandro Locsin, the interior space of the “TIG” matched the theme of the Ternocon 3 being a homage to the less formal terno, the balintawak. The stage and fashion runway cut through the box architecture in half, flanked by bleacher-style seats on both sides.

I have been hosting the Ternocon “pasinaya,” or previews, since the project started five years ago. It is a bi-annual heritage fashion design program that focuses on mentorship and education for 12 chosen finalists from all over the Philippines. It’s been wonderful seeing the program grow to what it is today with the support of Ben Chan and Suyen Corp. The terno project is personal and nostalgic for the Chan family as the Philippine cornstarch, or gawgaw, was sold by their ancestors Chan Lib and See Ying in smaller packs under the brand Liwayway. The stiffened sleeves and panuelo of the terno would not have been possible without the handy Liwayway gawgaw. The retail and manufacturing arm of the modern-day Bench brand has made it possible for anyone to buy a casual but technically correct terno top and men’s casual barongs in their mall stores. We now see the terno interpreted in various iterations in different fabrics from denim to ethnic weaves. Ternos are no longer relegated to being a costume, they are now worn by guests to weddings, business events and social gatherings.

In the book Fashionable Filipinas: An Evolution of the Philippine National Dress in Photographs 18601960 published by Suyen Corp. and Slims Legacy, written by Gino Gonzales and Mark Lewis Higgins, the authors chronicle the roots and evolution of the terno dress from the 1860s when studio photography was already flourishing in the Philippines. It also gives basic patterns for the butterfly sleeves and camisa as well as tips on cleaning, starching and storage. There is a technique in making the proper butterfly sleeves. Eight to 12 pleats are folded around the armhole to ensure a perfectly rounded shape. The sleeve height from the shoulder is usually three inches.

The winners of Ternocon 3 were Yssa Inumerable from Parañaque, Gabbie Sarenas from Rizal and Glady Rose Pantua from Zamboanga, awarded the gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively. Ilocos Norte’s Amor Albano was given the Joe Salazar Award, the chief mentor’s medal, by Inno Sotto. As interesting as the show was on the runway, the guests’ clothing also gave a visual feast for those attending.

The balintawak is a more casual version of the terno. It was worn at town fiestas in the 1920s and 1930s. According to the Fashionable Filipinas book, the balintawak was worn during the pilgrimage to Antipolo, Rizal to celebrate the devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje. The shorter skirt of the balintawak gave pilgrims more comfort as the setting was rustic and idyllic. It also became a popular studio portrait genre in the 1930s, with women wearing floral and patterned balintawaks while carrying parasols or baskets. After the war, in keeping with post-war independence, the balintawak was made into a one-piece, form-fitting dress to reflect a more glamorous and formal silhouette. We see images of mestiza actresses wearing the balintawak in their film studio photo shoots.

For the Ternocon 3 event, the pre-invitation identified the parts of the balintawak. There is a camisa (blouse) with butterfly sleeves and a saya (skirt). But what makes the balintawak special is its two key components: a matching alampay (a soft kerchief) and tapis (a strip of cloth) draped around the waist. The fabric traditionally used was simple and light, made of cotton, usually with botanical and floral prints, stripes and plaids. The CCP grounds were brimming with fashionable women in colorful casual ternos. First lady Liza Araneta Marcos attended Ternocon for the first time wearing a creation by Lesley Mobo, a salmon-pink-colored balintawak dress with hand-embroidered natural-dyed raffia and draped with tulle tapis and alampay.

The terno tells the story of the Filipino spirit’s adaptability or as Mark Higgins calls it “hybridity.” Before Spanish colonialization, as depicted in the Boxer Codex and chronicled by Antonio Pigafetta, inhabitants of northern Luzon wore the tapis with exposed torsos, while central Luzon women wore the tapis with a tightsleeved tunic called a baro. Women from the Visayas wore a bayu (baru) with a patadyong skirt. The Maranao women wore a malong. Pre-Hispanic clothing consisted of a blouse or top paired with a draped skirt. The Catholic friars introduced the idea of “modesty” and imposed on the island inhabitants, a new way of dressing — layers of fabric like the panuelo or kerchief to cover up a woman’s top and a layer of fabric was draped over the diaphanous tube skirts underneath.

Throughout the Spanish and American colonial periods, the terno evolved to reflect Western fashion, including puffed sleeves and ball skirts. It is interesting to note that even during pre-colonial times, the dress of the inhabitants of the Philippine islands were not uniquely “Filipino” in the sense that it had exclusively ethnic roots. Local inhabitants already had a taste of global culture. Locals were influenced by neighboring countries and visiting traders like Indians, Chinese and Arabs. It is so fascinating to see the continuous evolution of the Filipino terno, as it finds relevance in this now very globalized world.