Ternocon 3: An Interview with Artistic Director Gino Gonzales and CCP's Chinggay Bernardo

Preparations are reaching fever pitch as the major fashion event of 2023, Ternocon 3, approaches

Filipinos have always welcomed the return of the terno, a traditional formal ensemble worn by Filipino women that eventually became a national dress. Following the recent defining events in the country, such as this year’s presidential inauguration and the first state of the nation address, admiration for the national dress grew as esteemed guests and officials made headlines wearing elegant creations of Filipino designers.

There are many beautiful ways to reinterpret the terno. This holds true as 12 brilliant designers from the third edition of Ternocon work on their own unique versions of the traditional attire to provide an avenue for future designers and promote and preserve the terno for the next generations.

Ternocon, a contest and convention started by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and Bench, has been reviving the Filipino interest in the terno since 2018 by inviting budding artists to try their hand at creating a functional design in two categories: Formal Terno and Balintawak.

Above Cage terno by Joey Samson from Ternocon 2018

“We want [the terno] to be normalised,” Ternocon artistic director Gino Gonzales says. “The next step is indoctrinating the Filipino people with the different kinds of Filipiniana.” However, this year, Gonzales and chief mentor Inno Sotto have decided to focus on the balintawak.

“We just emerged from two years of lockdowns. We’re still in the pandemic. . .so, we have to be practical,” explains Gonzales. “The balintawak primarily addresses a semi-formal event, and most of the events in the recent months have been downscaled.

Throughout the pandemic, many people have been migrating out of the city and looking towards a more natural environment rather than a city environment. . . we think the balintawak reflects that zeitgeist. . .it’s more in tune with the times. We have an outfit that’s inspired by a rural setting. It’s not too formal, not too expensive, and it’s more practical.”

Above Artistic director Gino Gonzales, chief mentor Inno Sotto, CCP chairwoman Margie Moran-Floirendo and Bench founder Ben Chan at the 2018 Ternocon

Above Wearing the Balintawak ensembles created by the contestants and dancers from the Likhang Sining Dance Company

Above (back row) Cheetah Rivera, Geom Hernandez, Daryl Maat, Dee Javier, Mentor Joey Samson, Yssa Inumerable, Dennis Lustico and Ron Santos. (front row) Isay Alfornon, Amor Albano, Gabbie Sarenas, Marc Carcillar, Al Rey Rosano, Glady Rose Pantua, Bon Hansen Reyes, Bree Esplanada, Mentor Chito Vijandre, Glyn Alley Magtibay and Karl Nadales

“It’s a whole year of work and preparation. It doesn’t start and end with just designing,” says Carmencita “Chinggay” Bernardo, the CCP Cultural Exchange Department manager. “It always starts with a workshop. . .First, we give them all the necessary knowledge and information given by experts in the field—not just in fashion design, but also history, culture, arts [and] heritage.”

See also: The Terno Reimagined

The finalists were asked to build the traditional balintawak before they were instructed to create a contemporary version. “Judging from what I saw during the workshop, most of them have special skills in surface decoration, and skills that not too many of the more senior designers have,” the artistic director reveals. “It’s a great meeting point for people from the ‘70s, the ‘80s and the early ‘90s who also have a different skill set. There’s a lot of exchange of opinions and ideas.”

Photo 1 of 2 Chito Vijandre and Ricky Toledo commenting on the work of finalist Cheetah Rivera

Photo 2 of 2 Colourful ternos made by the finalists

We are happy that somehow, after [the first edition] and the second one, we’ve made some improvement in terms of how people look at the terno. . .Our wish is always for the public to support the advocacy

- Carmencita “Chinggay” Bernardo -

Gonzales could not have chosen a better fit for a chief mentor than Sotto. “He’s someone who’s seen the golden years in Philippine fashion and was also a practitioner then; so in a way, he’s bridging a wide gap between his generation that’s seen women wear ternos and this generation that has a complete set of priorities and aesthetics.”

Moreover, Sotto is revered not only for his creative genius but also put on a spectacle and whom Gonzales describes as a minimalist designer; and Dennis Lustico, whose couture flair is also needed in creating these pieces.

Above Embroidered piña, tulle and seed pearl terno by Len Cabili

Above Blue blouse and binakol-patterned skirt by JC Buendia from Ternocon 2018

Although the pandemic had made preparations far more complicated, the artistic director believes their time spent “locked in” together was favourable—if not a blessing. Gonzales says, “So far, this would have been the most involved mentors we’ve had. They bonded with their students within that week. . .we accomplished more.”

“The lock-in turned out to be advantageous because we were in one place, all of us, together,” Bernardo echoes. The journey may be more challenging as the country presses on with the pandemic, but the innate need to respond to such precarious times through art and design grows.

The CCP CED department manager says, “We are happy that somehow, after [the first edition] and the second one, we’ve made some improvement in terms of how people look at the terno. . .Our wish is always for the public to support the advocacy.”

Ternocon 3 will be presented in the new 300-seater black box theatre of the CCP, the Tanghalang Ignacio Jimenez. The upcoming affair will be held on January 28, 2023.

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