BONTOC, Mountain Province – The National Museum of the Philippines will feature the weaving industry of the Municipality of Sagada in the form of a video documentary to promote the locally made textiles of the place.
This is part of the National Museum and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda’s advocacy and contribution to local weavers since last October is the Museums and Galleries and Indigenous People’s Month.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, researchers from the National Museum of the Philippines were accompanied by representatives of the Provincial Government of Mountain Province, a local weaver, Isabel Masliyan of Sagada Sunrise and Mountain Province Arts and Craft Producers, Food Processors and Consolidators Organization (MAPPCO) President, Winifred G. Cue to visit the three identified weaving businesses for validation and documentation. These weavers are namely, Sagada Weaving, Sagada Sunrise and Katagowan Weaving.
National Museum Researchers Donna Songcuan and Marielle Esteria have admired the authenticity of the local weaving products of the place. Songucan told that the National Museum is open to accommodate the weavers of the place to give demonstrations and lectures on local textile weaving at the National Museum of the Philippines.
She relayed that last September, the National Museum invited weavers from Sagada to represent Mountain Province during the National Museum weaving demonstration last October 20 and 21 at the Manlilikha ng Bayan Hall, National Museum of Anthropology. However, due to typhoon Lawin, it was postponed so the agency decided to visit the place instead.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Mountain Province, in partnership with MAPPCO, is optimistic that this activity of the National Museum will have a great impact in the promotion of the weaving products of the province.
Ms. Cue said that since the researchers showed a positive interest on an actual demonstration and product display of our local weavers at the National Museum, she intends to meet with the different weavers in the province so that aside from Sagada, other weavers in the different municipalities will be represented in a chance to showcase their products.
Provincial Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (PMSEMDC) Focal Person, Brenda R. Tabbang said that these kinds of opportunities are important in showcasing our local products. She added that the partnership of the provincial government with the private sectors and agencies like Tourism and the National Museum is vital since the PMSMEDC is now on the marketing and promotion stage of intervention to the SME’s in our place.
Tabbang recalled that in the past years, the PMSEMDC have been helping our local SME’s in the forms of trainings and seminars for product development. “Since it is assumed that they already have their own products the council scaled up its intervention to help the SME’s in their promotion and marketing,” Tabbang said.
By Erwin S. Batnag