MANILA, Philippines — Fashion designer and sports advocate Avel Bacudio was designated as the official outfitter of the athletes representing the Philippines at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
About 300 Filipino athletes and officials from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) are set to wear Bacudio’s “Laro ng Lahi” collection at the opening ceremony on December 9 at the Rajamangala National Stadium, the national stadium of Thailand’s national football team and the largest stadium and sports venue by capacity in the country.
“The collection is less a line of clothing and more a declaration of national spirit. This is not merely fashion; it is a meticulously crafted textile manifesto, marrying the soul of Filipino heritage with cutting-edge scientific innovation, all in pursuit of Olympic glory,” explained Bacudio.
The Philippines is sending close to 1,700 athletes in the SEA Games to compete in 574 events in 50 sports. The games will now be played in two main hubs — Bangkok and Chonburi — instead of three because Songkhla suffered massive flooding in recent weeks.
“Laro ng Lahi” was envisioned by Bacudio and POC president Tolentino.
“The collection aims to achieve a brilliant dual mandate: securing gold for the Philippines' elite athletes while empowering and sustaining communities of Filipino artisans nationwide,” Bacudio bared. “It’s a powerful, symbiotic relationship — a luxury collaboration built on loyalty to the Philippines.”
The collection introduces the future of tropical textile: the innovative Piñavel fabric, which was developed in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST/PTRI), and which is a sustainable, high-performance textile that is an environmental and technical triumph.
For the outfits, Bacudio uses a breakthrough blend of indigenous fibers, such as bamboo, pineapple, abaca, banana, and water hyacinth. The high-tech fabrication is both featherlight and resilient, with the reliable Barong Tagalog as the centerpiece of the collection.
Inspired by old Filipino outdoor games he played in his childhood in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Bacudio incorporated embroider in the Barong Tagalog depicting Tumbang Preso, Trumpo, Luksong Baka, Yoyo, Luksong Tinik, Patintero, Piko, Luksong Lubid, Sipa, Luksong Kalabaw, and Syato.
“These patterns are a poignant visual lexicon, linking the foundational spirit of cultural contest — the play, the chase, the resilience — to the powerful mettle required of our athletes on the world stage. Each Barong is finished with the patriotic flourish of the Philippine flag’s tricolor trimming, a subtle yet potent reminder of the national pride woven into every thread,” added Bacudio.
The trousers give tribute to the regional weaving traditions, featuring the textural charm of the Trambia (a traditional woven kumot from La Union) with resilient Poly-Piña.
To pay respects to the recently departed Queen Mother Sirikit, Bacudio included a black ribbon as a dainty and dignified detail.
‘“Laro ng Lahi” is a dedication to Filipino excellence — a fusion of heritage craft, scientific innovation, and national aspiration,” Bacudio shared. “It is my triumphant ode to the athletes and artisans of the Philippines: they are wearing their culture, their future, and their ambition for gold.”