The barong Tagalog (or simply barong) is an embroidered formal garment of the Philippines. It is very lightweight and worn untucked (similar to a coat/dress shirt), over an undershirt. In Filipino culture it is a common wedding and formal attire, mostly for men but also for women. The term "barong Tagalog" literally means "a Tagalog dress" in the Tagalog language; however, the word "Tagalog" in the garment's name refers to the Tagalog region, not the region's language of the same name.

The barong was popularized as formal wear by Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, who wore it to most official and personal affairs, including his inauguration as president.

Long before the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, the Tagalog people on Luzon Island already wore a dress that can be seen as the origin of the barong Tagalog. The dress reached slightly below the waist, was colorless and had an opening in the front.

A legend persists that the Spaniards made Filipinos wear their barong untucked to distinguish them from the ruling class; its translucent fabric allegedly helped the Spaniards to see that the wearer was not bearing a weapon underneath. Supposedly, the native Filipinos were also prohibited from tucking in their shirts, which served to designate their low rank as well as to distinguish them from the people of mixed descent, the mestizaje, and the islanders, or insulares.

Ruben Tagalog (October 18, 1922 - March 5, 1989) was a Filipino actor and musician, famous for his works in the Kundiman style. He was also a part of the Mabuhay Singers.

He first caught the attention of radio listeners in the 1940s when he hosted his own radio program, Harana ni Ruben Tagalog. His baritone voice filled his songs Ramona, Sayang, Azucena and Nasaan Ka Ngayon with emotion. He revived danzas and balitaws like Nahan Kaya Ikaw, Bakit Ka Lumuluha, Barong Tagalog, Dalagang Pilipina and Caprichosa. He was the first artist to record Bayan Ko and Ang Pasko ay Sumapit.

In spite of his last name being "Tagalog", he was actually a Visayan from Iloilo and was a speaker of the Visayan language Hiligaynon (aka Ilonggo). He released at least two Cebuano Visayan albums. "Ruben Tagalog sings Visayan Songs" and a duet album with Cebuana singer Nora Hermosa called "Duet In Visayan".

In the early 1950s he became the first to popularize the Tagalog version of the 1933 Visayan Christmas carol "Kasadya Ning Taknaa" as "Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit". The Tagalog lyrics were written by Levi Celerio.