APEC Tags Barong Tagalog as "Peasant Shirt"

**chua_riwap** · September 10th, 2007 12:21 AM

Sobra naman ito.........

RP Cries Foul as APEC Tags Natl Costume as 'Peasant Shirt'

The Philippine government has called for clarifications after the organizing committee of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Sydney, Australia branded the Filipino's national costume for men as a mere "peasant shirt."

"It’s very important that the clarification be made. I’m not sure about the origin personally but at the moment it’s is practically the people in high society and government, this national costume is being used by heads of state," said Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, himself a delegate to the summit.

An APEC media backgrounder said the "barong Tagalog" is a peasant shirt.

The Barong Tagalog, which was the official outfit of the leaders' summit in Manila in 1996, is the Philippines' national costume for male.

The APEC press release that was disseminated to international media was used as a backgrounder on the gathering's official outfits from 1993 to 2006.

Cecile Alvarez, executive director of the Philppines' National Commission for Culture and the Arts, meanwhile, said the press release might have cited an “undocumented” history which dates back in the Spanish colonial era.

Alvarez said the Spaniards allegedly made the “underprivileged” Filipinos wear the barong Tagalog to make sure that the locals were not carrying any weapons under the thin clothing.

She, however, said that such claims are undocumented.

Alvarez added that the barong Tagalog was worn by Filipino politicians during important occasions back in the days of former president Manuel Quezon.

For his part, popular fashion designer Rene Salud said that barong Tagalog is more than just a clothing because it is a cultural symbol.

**torque2006** · September 10th, 2007 07:03 AM

Foul. Wala pang news? Kala ko kinausap ni bunye yung Australian Government.

**StraightSix** · September 10th, 2007 07:10 AM

Ano ba source ng balitang 'yan?

**empy** · September 10th, 2007 07:37 AM

baka akala nila pareho yung barong tagalog at yung guayabera (sp?) :hihihi:

**claRkEnt** · September 10th, 2007 07:46 AM

sumobra namang in-depth (although insufficiently done) ang pagkaka-research nung APEC Media Backgrounder. In fact, Even the heads of different states prefer barong pag nandito sila sa asia kasi nga presko. and they love its uniqueness.

**nicolodeon** · September 10th, 2007 07:47 AM

Historicaly, the barong tagalog was indeed a form of a, well, paesant shirt. During the Spanish colonial times, the Spaniards the wanted the native men to wear the barong so that they (the natives) would be "distiushable" as locals, not Spaniards. For a bit more of the history of the baro (as what the barong tagalog was called during the pre-spanis times, go here. As you would see on the link, the baro or barong was indeed worn by peasants during that era.

I do agree, however, that the barong of today is far from being a peasant wear: it is a simble of our nation that we (the Pinoy menfolk) proudly wear...well, maybe not all of us out there (May mga cynics sigurado dyan, he he he...)

Now, for that Aussie thing I would like to give the people from down under the benefit of the doubt i.e. they might have not meant any slander or offense - maybe they were just were "quoting" info that they had just Googled. Then again, some Aussies are known to look down upon Filipinos (I've experienced this several times). However, of they did intened to malign the barong, then it may warrant a negative reaction for it would just like be like slurring the kimono, in which all Japanese would be offended.

**pajerokid** · September 10th, 2007 08:09 AM

agree with Nic. Indeed, the barong naman initially was a peasant shirt. Although these days we use it for the office and for special occasions. I think that's just an over reaction on someone's part.

**fearless** · September 10th, 2007 08:34 AM

baka naman nagkamali lang ang pagkaprint at kinulang lang ng isang letter,baka naman "pleasant shirt" ang ibig sabihin, hindi "peasant shirt".

Nice one.

**OTEP** · September 10th, 2007 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by nicolodeon

Historicaly, the barong tagalog was indeed a form of a, well, paesant shirt. During the Spanish colonial times, the Spaniards the wanted the native men to wear the barong so that they (the natives) would be "distiushable" as locals, not Spaniards. For a bit more of the history of the baro (as what the barong tagalog was called during the pre-spanis times, go here. As you would see on the link, the baro or barong was indeed worn by peasants during that era.

I do agree, however, that the barong of today is far from being a peasant wear: it is a simble of our nation that we (the Pinoy menfolk) proudly wear...well, maybe not all of us out there (May mga cynics sigurado dyan, he he he...)

Yep. Historically, barongs were indeed used by commoners.

Ganun talaga, the status of something can change over time. Land Rover Defenders were initially used as farm implements and military vehicles. But I highly doubt that any of the brand-new Php3M Defenders that Land Rover sells to it's Filipino clients today ever get turned into a John Deere or is sent to Basilan.

Even those expensive meals at hotel restaurants with the suffix "-ala Pobre" were once commoner's meals.

I don't really think there should be much fuss about that barong issue.

**nicolodeon** · September 11th, 2007 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by OTEP

Yep. Historically, barongs were indeed used by commoners.

Ganun talaga, the status of something can change over time. Land Rover Defenders were initially used as farm implements and military vehicles. But I highly doubt that any of the brand-new Php3M Defenders that Land Rover sells to it's Filipino clients today ever get turned into a John Deere or is sent to Basilan.

Even those expensive meals at hotel restaurants with the suffix "-ala Pobre" were once commoner's meals.

I don't really think there should be much fuss about that barong issue.

Yep, I agree.

I just wanted so share links to inform our friends out there that the barong or baro started out as a commoners outfit - and that there's no need to over-react, which some of us out there might do.

Frankly, I'm not a least bit worried about what foreigners say. I've been around and I've had my share of being slurred and most of the time, I just smile at them and shake my head.

There are a lot of more important issues out there that we as individuals and as a nation should give attention to than fuss and rant about some news article about a barong being "mislabeled".