Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788244762769Screenshot 2026-09-01 112538 (6).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda and son Vice Governor Dennis Pineda. <em>Official Facebook page of Lilia “Nanay” Pineda</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday argued that public officials should be seen through their actions and not by what they wear, but clarified that sensitivity should also be observed especially during times of need.</p><p>This comes after Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda and son Vice Governor Dennis Pineda drew flak over wearing designer clothes during rounds in flood-stricken areas seen by many as tone-deaf or insensitive.</p><p>Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no sentiment over the issue when asked whether the Palace has a directive to the Department of the Interior and Local Government down to local government units.</p><p>“Wala, kasi walang mensahe ang Pangulo patungkol diyan. Ang pagseserbisyo po ay hindi po nakikita sa damit, nakikita po ito sa gawa, nakikita po ito kung visible ba iyong mga leaders at nandidiyan sila para tumulong. Maybe, ang sasabihin ng iba, bakit designer clothes pa ang suot,” she said in a briefing Tuesday, September 1.</p><p>“But sabi nga natin, hindi po nakikita ang pagtulong, ang serbisyong totoo sa damit ng isang lider. Mas maganda po, mayroon pong mga iba, napakasimple ng dating, t-shirt, pants, iyong iba nagpapaulan pa, pero wala namang natutulong. So mas maganda po na tingnan ang lider sa trabaho, sa gawa, hindi po sa damit,” she added.</p><p>Pressed by the media about the law mandating public officials and employees and their families to lead modest lives appropriate their positions and income, Castro said she trusts that public officials know how to conduct themselves properly.</p><p>“Hindi po ako makakatugon sa mga opisyal na gumagamit ng mga branded na damit. Pero, alam naman nila kung ano ba ang dapat na ikilos at kung paano dapat makisalamuha sa ating mga kababayan,” she said.</p><p>“Hindi natin alam kung ang pagsusuot ng branded na iyan ay mura na sa kanila. So, depende, depende sa kanila, baka iyan ay—kung sa atin na ordinaryong tao ay napakamahal, baka sa kanila ay mura lang iyan, dahil iyan ang kanilang nakagawian,” Castro added.</p><p>Despite this, the Palace official clarified that public servants should also observe sensitivity.</p><p>“But still, siguro kailangan din maging sensitive kasi lalong-lalo na, kung iyong mga kababayan natin ay nakakaramdam ng hirap, trauma at kalungkutan,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JuSfcAbmmiw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Ow4rMoReiY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda and son Vice Governor Dennis Pineda drew flak over wearing designer clothes during rounds in flood-stricken areas seen by many as tone-deaf or insensitive.</p>

Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda and son Vice Governor Dennis Pineda drew flak over wearing designer clothes during rounds in flood-stricken areas seen by many as tone-deaf or insensitive.

Palace weighs in on Pinedas wearing designer clothes during Pampanga flooding rounds

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Palace weighs in on Pinedas wearing designer clothes during Pampanga flooding rounds

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 01, 2026 02:48 PM PHT

Read More:

Palace

Claire Castro

Pampanga

Lilia Pineda

Dennis Pineda

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