The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED) and its Production Design and Technical Services Division (PDTSD), with support from partner organization Bench/Suyen Corporation, pursues its mission to preserve and promote the Philippine dress with a series of workshops in the regions from 2025 to 2026.

Dubbed “Fashioning the Terno,” the series of workshops is part of the TERNOCON project, which aims to encourage the use of the Terno as a popular form of dress, while inspiring and motivating emerging designers to create Terno that are on par with the construction skills of professional designers. The project also encourages dialogue and scholarly discussion of issues concerning the Philippine Dress and sustains the growing awareness and interest in the Philippine dress.

Fashioning the Terno workshop kicked off its Mindanao leg on October 27 to 30, at the Paseo de Santiago, Iligan City. A Ternocon 2025 exhibition at the Robinson’s Iligan Atrium was also launched, featuring the Ternos designed by Ternocon 2025 winners Peach Garde, Bryan Peralta, Windell Madis, and mentor Ezra Santos.

Twenty local designers from 14 communities all over Mindanao underwent intensive hands-on training on terno-making and attended lectures by Ternocon founding artistic director Gino Gonzales, Ternocon former mentor and judge Len Cabili, Ternocon 2025 artistic director Ricardo Eric Cruz, Abdul Gaffar (2020 Chief Mentor Awardee), Carolina de Leon, Dinnes Obusan (2020 Bronze awardee), and Windell Madis (2025 Mentors’ Choice Award).

The Mindanao leg was jointly organized and implemented in partnership with the HULMA Iligan Creatives Collective, with support from the City Government of Iligan, City Mayor’s Office, Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office, Robinsons Place Iligan, Christian Horizon School, and fashion designer Len Cabili.