Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SIXTEENTH (16) CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No, __ 5691

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In the National Costume Segment of the Miss Universe 2014
pageant, Mary Jean Lastimosa had worn her assigned garment that
silenced the audience. Almost immediately, Filipino fashion designers
bluntly criticized the costume, saying that it looked like a birthday
cake.

These criticisms reached the Bb. Pilipinas Charities (BPCI),
franchise holder for contestants wanting to represent the country in
Miss Universe. There were two factors that led to criticisms against the
BPCI and Ms, Lastimosa’s costume. Firstly, it was endowed with a mix
of red and yellow flowers that messed up its supposedly Filipino
origins. Stella Marquez-Araneta, founder and head of Bb. Pilipinas
Charities, mentioned that it was derived from the “Panagbenga festival
in Baguio.” But even that was not enough when she said, “The designs
given to us were not good enough for our candidates. That’s the
reason I went abroad.” She was referring to Filipino designs which
were not enough for Philippine beauty pageant contestants to win.
Secondly, Alfredo Barraza, who was the costume designer, is a
Colombian. Of course, he designs for Colombian beauty pageants,
whose costumes are far more superior to ours! A related instance was
Arielle Arida’s costume which Mr. Barraza designed and considered by
the Filipino audience far more elegant than the costume of Mary Jean
Lastimosa which was also the creation of Mr. Barraza. According to
audiences who watched her compete, the costume was a possible
cause of Mary Jean Lastimosa’s defeat in the 2014 Miss Universe
Beauty Pageant.

Page |


Stella Marquez-Araneta, head of the BPCI, has issued a
statement saying that she lauds Filipino fashion designers. But it was
too late since the mistake had come to pass.

It is logical that competitors do their very best not just to win,
but to show the world what they are made of. What is the point when
we cannot represent our true worth and ingenuity even in the simplest
of things such as clothes? It hurts not only our Filipino fashion
designers but also us Filipinos

It must be emphasized that a Philippine design, whatever the
product may be, should be used by Filipino participants in all
international beauty contests. A costume design to be showcased by
our representative in international beauty pageants should be
reflective of the cultural essence of our country and our Filipino
designers should create a costume design that promotes Filipino
identity and nationality. With that, the audience or judges in
international beauty contests can easily tell whether the work is
genuinely Filipino or not, In any international contest, most especially
international beauty pageants, nationality and design should always
reflect our country’s expression of excellence and ingenuity and it is
for this reason that our Filipino fashion designers, who are experts in
their fields, should be the entrusted designers for our Filipino
contestants in international beauty pageants.

It is only for this reason that the approval of this bill is being
sought.

Bw. ON,

ERIC L, OLIVAREZ

Page | 2


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

" 5691
House Bill No,“ *

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L, OLIVAREZ

AN ACT MANDATING FILIPINO BEAUTY PAGEANT
CONTESTANTS IN INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY PAGEANT
COMPETITIONS TO WEAR OR USE COSTUMES DESIGNED OR
CREATED BY FILIPINO FASHION DESIGNERS

Section 1, Short Title. This Act shall be known as the
Filipino Fashion Designers for Filipino Beauty Pageants
Contestants Act of 2015,

Section 2. Coverage. This Act shall apply to all Filipino
beauty pageant contestants or participants representing the
Philippines in any international beauty pageant competition
including their handlers, sponsors, organizers and franchise
holders.

Section 3. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the
policy of the State to preserve and enrich Filipino national
culture. The State recognizes the importance to protect the
national culture because this constitutes the cultural treasure of
the nation. It is also the policy of the state to encourage and
support researchers and studies on the arts and culture.

Section 4. Objectives. The objectives of this Act are as
follows:

Page | 3


a.) To promulgate the National Commission for Culture and
the Arts (NCCA) as the primary commission to regulate
fashion designers for beauty pageants and other fashion
design competitions in which the Philippines is
participating;

b,) To facilitate greater coordination among fashion
designers in the country with the help of the NCCA; and
c.) To require local franchise holders and other institutions
of beauty pageants to standardize the recruitment of

fashion designers to be strictly Filipino.

Section 5. Costumes designed by Filipino designers - Every
Filipino beauty pageant contestant or participant shall wear or
use garments, dresses or costumes designed or created by
Filipino fashion designers. Garments, Dresses or Costumes
which are representative of Filipino culture, identity and
nationality shall at all times be the default fashion design for
every Filipino beauty pageant contestant in any international
beauty pageant competition. Filipino fashion designers must at
all times be involved in the designing of garments, dresses and
costumes for Filipino beauty pageant contestants.

Section 6, Assistance of Foreign Fashion Designers — Foreign
Fashion Designers may assist Filipino fashion designers in the
creation of garments, dresses or costumes of Filipino Beauty
Contestants in international beauty pageant contests provided
that the fashion designers creating the dresses or costumes of
Filipino beauty contestants are working as a team, provided
further that the team is headed by a Filipino fashion designer.

A foreign fashion designer may assist a Filipino Fashion
Designer only in the following:

a. overseeing workers in the drawing and cutting of
patterns and examining of samples or finished garments;

b. sketching rough and detailed drawings of apparel or
accessories, and writing specifications such as color schemes,
construction, material types and accessory requirements
pursuant to the instructions of the Filipino designer;

Page | 4


c. selection of materials to be used for the finished products
to conform to factors such as age, gender and physical status of
the Filipino contestants; and

d. such other works that may be assigned to the Foreign
fashion designer by the Filipino designer.

Section 7, Recruitment of Filipino Designers - All local
franchise holders, sponsors, handlers, organizers and other
institutions of beauty pageants shall be required to recruit or
have a pool of Filipino fashion designers who could immediately
be engaged, hired or tapped in any international beauty pageant
competitions.

Section 8. Sanctions, Any franchise holder, handler,
organizer and sponsor whether a corporate institution or
individual who or which grossly violates any of the provisions
stated in this Act shall be meted with a fine of P100,000.00 or
imprisonment of six (6) months or both at the discretion of the
court. If the offender is a corporation, the penalty of
imprisonment shall be applied to the members of the Board of
Directors, President and Manager.

Section 9. Period of Compliance. All local franchise
holders, handlers, organizers or sponsors and other institutions
for beauty pageants shall comply with the requirements and
provisions of this Act within three (3) months from the effectivity
of this Act.

Section 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in
coordination with the Office the President shall promulgate the
Implementing Rules and Regulations to carry out the provisions
of the Act. Such rules and regulations shall take effect upon their
publication in three (3) newspapers of general circulation.

Section 11, Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential
decrees, letters of instructions, executive orders, rules and
regulations insofar as they are inconsistent with this Act, are
hereby repealed or amended as the case may be.

Page | 5


Section 12. Separability Clause. - In the event that any
provision of this act or any portion thereof is declared
unconstitutional by a competent court, the other provisions shall
not be affected thereby and shall remain valid and enforceable.

Section 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect
after its complete publication in at least three (3) newspapers of
general circulation.

APPROVED,

Page | 6