Sunday Specials: A Law on behalf of Filipino-made Gowns?

Now this news literally hits close to home because the proponent is one of two Members of the House of Representatives in Parañaque City where I reside. Rep. Eric L. Olivarez has just submitted House Bill 5691, or the “Filipino Fashion Designers for Filipino beauty Pageants Contestants Act of 2015“. In a news item by Inquirer.net, it made mention of the objective of the bill – to get a Filipino involved (as Team Head) in the designing of the wardrobe of our beauty queens.

The bill is obviously targeted at Bb. Pilipinas which – for many years now – has been using gowns made by Colombian designer Alfredo Barraza for Miss Universe purposes. And if we track back to 1999, you will also remember that Miriam Quiambao reportedly wore a Bob Mackie creation during the finals in Trinidad & Tobago where she finished 1st Runner-Up to Mpule Kwelagobe.

Below is the initial reaction of Aces & Queens’ Jonas Gaffud on the matter.

As far as I’m concerned, I don’t really agree with matters getting this far. Do we really need a house bill to protect the creative talent of the Filipino designer? Have we turned helpless that a law needs to be enacted just to make things happen our way?

I’m not sure how divided the pageant fans will be on the matter. It’s not like a tax evasion issue that the Government has full control over. We are talking of just one private organization that needs to make serious adjustments in their wardrobe practices for international pageants.

And I’m really wondering which group lobbied for the bill to be submitted to Congress. This concern can be amicably settled once and for all. Don’t get me wrong. I am 100% supportive of the Filipino design shining in the international pageant stage from start to finish. A law is just gilding the lily the wrong way, overkill at worst.

Your thoughts, dear readers?