President-apparent Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III will be wearing a Barong Tagalog with a ribbon-icon design for his proclamation as 15th President of the Republic – as a tribute to his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino who passed away just less than a year ago.

Designer JC Buendia had prepared two designs of “Barong Tagalog” for Aquino to choose from but the one with a ribbon-icon design made from piña-abaca silk was chosen by the President-apparent over the one with a Philippine map design as a sentimental favorite.

“Siyempre nanay ko naaalala ko pa rin, August 1,” Aquino said at a press briefing at the Aquino residence in Times St, Quezon City Monday afternoon when asked why he chose the Barong Tagalog with a ribbon-icon design – even mentioning the date of his mother’s death last year.

“The ribbon tells me where I came from, it’s the sense of the struggle today, it’s the symbol of struggle today and I want to be sure I don’t lose my grounding. Itong Barong ito tumulong sa iyo itong inaasam-asam sa iyo,” Aquino added.

The ribbon-icon, specifically the yellow ribbon, has been associated with the late President who rose to fame as the grieving widow of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

When her husband was incarcerated during the regime of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” became the first sign of support of Filipinos for the former President who died of cancer last year.

Fresh from a five-day vacation at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, Aquino was visibly more relaxed, even sharing jokes with newsmen.

“Bagong barong, bagong fountain pen, lumang pantalon, maayos na underwear,” Aquino said, chuckling, when asked what he would be wearing on his proclamation which would happen presumably anytime this week.