Baro’t Saya (Ternos) of Doña Maria Agoncillo Exhibit at the Aguinaldo Shrine

The ternos or baro’t saya of Maria Agoncillo, the second wife of Gen Emilio F. Aguinaldo, were exhibited by the Historic Sites and Education Division of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines from September 17-30, 2010 at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.


Held in celebration of History Week, the terno exhibit was opened on September 17 by Angelo Emilio Aguinaldo representing Kawit Mayor Reynaldo “Tik” Aguinaldo, Kawit Tourism Officer Chit Sambile, Former Aguinaldo Shrine Curator Linda Aguinaldo, NHCP Historic Sites and Education Division Chief Veronica Dado.

Other guests include NHCP Historic Sites and Education Division Senior Historic Sites Development Officer Alvin Alcid, Mr. Philippines International 2010 Rafael Carlos and his court, Ruel Posas, first runner-up and Darwich Saulog, third runner-up, Mr. Philippines-International National Director Joseph Pallera, Gigi Santiago of the Shipping and Travel Journal, Cora Basa of the Rising South, Kawit civic leader Eduard Solis, Lilith Reyes-Perez of the Imus Cultural and Historical Council, Ferdinand Clemente (Makata-Tatawanan) and Guian Salgado of TV 5 and Lita M. Pallera of the Topacio clan of Imus.

   


 The exhibit which consists of twelve (12) original baro’t saya or ternos worn by Maria Agoncillo, traces the evolution of the terno as a Filipino regal dress. The terno, a unique fusion of continental fashion with a combination of western flair and native penchant  for intricate embroidery and delicate fabrics, is a merging of all ingenuous energies to validate the Spanish translation “match”.

A livelihood seminar on beadworks and embroidery for marginalize women of Kawit was also held immediately after the opening of the exhibit with Susan Abrera of FEU and former senior industrial designer of the Design Center of the Philippines as resource person and FEU Dean of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts Lorelei De Viana as facilitator.