Why Viral Sablay-Wearing Fil-Am Did Not Wear Barong Tagalog at Gala
Key Highlights :
Filipino-American journalist Pablo Torre stirred up controversy when he was seen wearing the “Sablay” of the University of the Philippines during the 2nd Annual Gold Gala of Gold House in Los Angeles. The event honors trailblazing Asian American and Pacific Islander creatives worldwide. Torre clarified the reasoning behind his choice of attire in a note uploaded to Twitter on Thursday, May 11.
Torre, a Harvard University graduate, said that he borrowed the Sablay from his father who graduated from UP. “I didn’t go to UP. But both of my parents, and both of their late fathers, did. So shoutout to my dad for letting me borrow his sablay for one night, so I could pay tribute to all of them,” Torre said in an Instagram post with a Philippine flag emoji.
His initiative earned mixed reactions from the local online community, with some commending him for giving representation when he wore UP’s academic regalia. Others, however, argued that the academic costume symbolizes the culmination of a student’s hard work and efforts in attaining their degree from the country’s national university.
In the replies thread of his post, a Twitter user called on Torre to “please wear a barong next time,” referring to the Barong Tagalog. “I’m begging you,” the user added with a loudly crying emoji. Torre then revealed that he actually had the Filipino national attire in his wardrobe. “I got a new one! Didn’t fit. And didn’t have time to get it adjusted before the event. My fault,” he responded to the Twitter user.
The Barong Tagalog is an embroidered long-sleeve garment that is the traditional Filipino attire for men. It is usually made of sheer lightweight woven fabric of either “piña” or “jusi.” The attire is usually worn during formal occasions, social gatherings and other events like weddings and baptisms.
Torre explained that the gala’s dress code was “multicultural black tie.” He wanted to share a distinctly Asian-American honor with his family, the Philippines, and her state university. He also mentioned that the Sablay was not yet part of UP ceremonies in the 1970s, when his parents both graduated.
The journalist issued a sincere apology for borrowing his dad’s Sablay and asked for understanding from the local online community. He also urged them to not blame anyone else for his decision.
The Sablay is considered an “academic achievement” outfit, and therefore should be worn only by individuals who graduated from UP. Torre’s initiative to honor his family’s connection to UP was admirable, but his decision to wear the Sablay instead of the Barong Tagalog was not taken lightly by some members of the Filipino online community.
