Maria Clara

During my recent trip to The Block in SM City North, I chanced upon an exhibit of Maria Clara gowns as interpreted by young Filipino designers—the mall's way of commemorating the Philippines' Independence Day, which is today. Maria Clara is the heroine in the novel "Noli Me Tangere" written by Philippine national hero Jose Rizal. She epitomizes the traditional Filipina: meek, obedient, loving and God-fearing. The name has also come to refer to the type of clothes worn by Filipinas during the late Spanish colonial era—a mestiza dress combining indigenous and Spanish influences. I know that it's another cheeky way of commemorating this day, but I think that it's quite fitting too since we consider our Independence Day as the day that General Emilio Aguinaldo declared our country's independence from Spain in 1898, rather than the day that Americans granted us our independence. This black and white gown was created by Edwin Uy.