Ternocon: CCP brings a Terno workshop and exhibition to regional communities

With the support of Bench/Suyen, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is intensifying its efforts to protect and promote Filipino dress, specifically the Terno, through a series of regional workshops from 2025 to 2026. Led by CCP’s Cultural Exchange Division and Production Design and Technical Services Division, these workshops are the cornerstone of Project TERNOCON – a nationwide initiative focused on reviving the Terno as a favored and prestigious form of clothing among Filipino women.

The “Fashioning the Terno” workshop series is designed to not only spark interest in the cultural and historical significance of the Terno, but also provide budding designers with comprehensive training in clothing design and assembly. By connecting participants with veterans of the Filipino fashion industry, the workshops foster creative skills and technical mastery in terno construction, thus ensuring continuity of quality craftsmanship. Discussions and scholarly activities take place simultaneously, promoting a lively academic and historical debate on the evolution of Filipino dress and its social and cultural significance, and sparking broader public engagement in its conservation.

The series kicked off its Mindanao edition at Paseo de Santiago, Iligan City, from October 27 to 30, 2025. The event featured lively workshops, critiques by peers and mentors, and a parallel exhibition to Ternocon 2025 hosted by Robinson’s Iligan Atrium. Here, visitors can view a selection of Ternos by Ternocon 2025 award winners – Peach Garde, Bryan Peralta, Windell Madis – and see the influence of renowned mentor Ezra Santos. The program not only highlighted this year’s talent, but celebrated the enduring spirit of Filipino art rooted in the terno tradition.

A group of twenty local designers, carefully selected from 14 different communities across Mindanao, participated in an intensive and hands-on workshop dedicated to traditional Filipino terno craftsmanship. The program included hands-on training sessions and insightful lectures moderated by prominent figures in the local fashion scene: Gino Gonzalez, founding artistic director of Ternocon and a leading advocate for the preservation of Filipino dress; Lynn Capili is known for her extensive mentoring and incorporation of Filipino textile techniques into modern fashion; Ricardo Eric Cruz, who will direct Ternoco’s artistic vision for 2025; Abdel Ghaffar, who was honored for outstanding mentoring at Ternocon 2020; Textile expert Carolina de Leon; Denis Obusan, the 2020 Bronze Award winner who was recognized for his innovative terno designs; and Wendell Madis, who received the 2025 Mentors’ Choice Award for his creative contributions.

The Mindanao sector of the Ternocon project is made possible through a strategic partnership with HULMA Iligan Creatives Collective, a group dedicated to promoting local art. The workshop also received significant logistical and promotional support from the Iligan City Government, including direct participation from the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion. Hosting support came from Robinsons Place Iligan, with educational support from Christian Horizon School, and further expertise and resources provided by costume designer Len Cabili. The goal of this collaborative effort was not only to improve terno-making skills, but also to celebrate and preserve Mindanao’s rich textile and design heritage.

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