Pampanga Officials Face Criticism For Designer Outfits During Flood Visits
Netizens weren’t happy about them sporting Prada, Balmain, and Burberry while inspecting flood-stricken areas.
by Jam Nitura, and Kyla Villena
Published on Aug 30, 2026
Pampanga officials are drawing flak from netizens for sporting designer clothing in the midst of calamitous rains. Governor Lilia Pineda, Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, and San Fernando Mayor Vilma Balle-Caluag are raising eyebrows for their fashion choices while visiting flood-stricken areas across the province.
LOOK: Netizens React to Officials in Designer Clothing During Flood Rounds
As the enhanced southwest monsoon continues to wreak havoc in flood-prone regions, government officials have begun surveying damages and providing relief for their affected constituents.
Official photos of the Pinedas and Caluag, however, shifted focus from the victims to their luxury clothing, which netizens were quick to identify and call out. The designer pieces seen on them included a Balmain set, a Prada t-shirt, Burberry jackets, and Calvin Klein leggings.
The three drew criticism as onlookers accused them of being out of touch and insensitive considering the adversity Pampanga residents are currently experiencing, brought on by non-stop, heavy rainfall. “Flood inspection or fashion week?” said one user on X.
Some netizens under a Pampanga PIO Facebook post questioned how much their outfits cost, writing “Magkano po ang bili n’yo sa OOTD?”
Meanwhile, others were driven to anger and disappointment over the officials’ seeming lack of foresight and modesty, claiming that they should have been more aware of how their outfits would look to the public.
Pampanga is among 117 areas that the government has placed under a state of calamity. In particular, floodwaters devastated a settlement in the Municipality of Lubao after the Sta. Cristo Dam overflowed on August 28.
During this, a video of a two-story house being swept away by raging floods went viral, further emphasizing the severity of the situation in Pampanga. According to local authorities, no fatalities were recorded in the incident after its residents managed to evacuate in time.
That said, the death toll in other areas has risen to 32, while an estimated eight million individuals have been affected by the rains thus far.
Gov. Lilia Pineda Apologizes for Donning Designer Pieces During Flood Visits
On August 31, Gov. Lilia Pineda explained the reason behind her outfit, saying it was purely coincidental. “Mayroon naman kaming konting pera,” she began. “Hindi naman siya ganoon kamahal.” She also said that she does not dress in luxury brands every day. “Siguro na tiyempo [lang]. Hindi naman lagi.”
The public official expressed that, rather than what she's wearing, she prefers to think about solving the long-standing problem faced by the city she governs. She enumerated, “Sa pagkakataong ito, ang dapat nating isipin ngayon [ay] kung papaano makapag-survive, paano malunasan ang problema, paano mag-appeal sa national government…”
When asked whether or not she sees an issue with the outfits donned by her and her son, the vice governor, she responded by saying, “Ginagawa naman namin yung obligasyon namin.” She also expressed that she did not pay much attention to her outfit because she was thinking about doing her job. Because of the weather, “talagang kailangang mayroon kang kapote. Kapote lang yun,” she said, referring to her Burberry jacket.
The governor emphasized that luxury attires are not her norm, and that this particular incident does not reflect who she is. “Ginagalang namin ang comment nila. Wake-up call [ito] sa akin, pero hindi ako maluhong tao.”
What are your thoughts?
Jam’s way of exploration is by reading and writing. She hopes to always be lost in words and, occasionally, a good podcast.
Kyla Villena loves a good lip gloss and a trip to the art gallery. She is Preview's beauty girl, who doubles as a self-proclaimed motivational speaker.