Nothing is more iconic than the Philippine Terno. It is both a symbol of Filipino identity, history and culture.
Over the years of invention and re-invention, it has retained its Filipino-ness from its humble origins of the humble baro’t saya to the Maria Clara, to the Traje de Mestiza and now its current iteration of the terno. There is pride in wearing the Philippine national attire. It is no wonder that Filipina international queens under Binibining Pilipinas would wear the terno in their homecoming parades. Gloria Diaz wore her yellow terno (which was also her national costume at Miss Universe), Margie Moran wore a blue draped terno, Aurora Pijuan was in red, Melanie Marquez wore white upon her arrival with her court, Lara Quigaman in gold, Bea Rose Santiago wore silver, Catriona Gray wore a sampaguita terno-pantsuit.
But the fascination with the terno doesn’t end there. Because throughout the years, it still manages to captivate us with its finesse and grace that is lent whoever wear it.
The Terno and Pageantry
Miss Universe 1973 Margie wore a white Aureo Alonzo as her national costume in Athens. This terno would later be seen once more on the cover of Hola! Magazine as MU. Back then, the Miss U semifinalists are called in the first cut in their national costumes. So it was a wonder to have watched how the modern white terno would be juxtaposed to the ancient structures of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece. Afterall, the modern terno only came to existence in the 1930s/ 1940s after the liberation of the Philippines from the Americans.
Another fascinating story about the terno is that it is among the winning-est national costume in pageants. Yolanda Dominguez, Maria Dolores Ascalon and Melanie Marquez all have won Best in National Costume at Miss International. Melanie wore a red sequined terno that is claimed to have won her the award, although we also saw her in a white terno with the rest of the Miss International 1979 candidates in their national costumes. We are now not as sure if it was the white terno that won her the award or the red one. One thing for sure, she wore a white terno during her arrival with the rest of the Ms. International 1979 court in Manila.
Then there is the white terno by Inno Sotto that earned the Best in Philippine Terno award for Minorka Mercado at Miss Universe 1994. This was perhaps the design that most millennial pageant fan can remember. But what stuck to me personally is the simplicity of the design that alludes back to when Inno Sotto gave a talk to our BS Clothing Technology class about respecting the culture and tradition behind it.
20 years later, we personally fell in love with the Randy Ortiz white ribbon lace terno that Miss World Philippines 2014 Valerie Clacio Weigmann wore at Miss World in London. When a friend of mine who works as an associate designer for Randy Ortiz shown us fitting photos of Valerie, we knew this terno would turn heads in England and it did.
Alaiza Malinao and Her Simple White Terno
But nothing is more contested, admired or memorable as the white Jo Rubio terno that Alaiza Malinao wore at Miss Universe Philippines 2020. Why is it timeless?
Two reasons.
First is its simplicity and the elan that Alaiza wore it onstage. The design was unobstructed with unnecessary lines, the fit was impeccable, and the choice of styling is so minimalist that you see a seamless marriage between the wearer and the dress. This was a gasp-inducing moment at MUPH 2020. Second, is the story that it almost didn’t happen at all. A former advisor (who now is in a position within the MUPH org) advised against Alaiza from wearing the white terno because “it has never been done before.” Had Alaiza listened to that ill advise, then we wouldn’t have the iconic moment of seeing the terno become a pageant pop culture phenomenon.
There’s more to the Philippine terno that meets the eye. It is timeless in its elegance, pristine in its simplicity and memorable because of its identity. The terno has surely gone far from the heydays of Ramon Valera and Salvacion Higgins Lim. And we see it continuously evolve to reflect modern culture and society. It is our hope that Alaiza’s terno wont be the last time we see the white terno in pageantry…
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