BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan here passed Provincial Ordinance No. 573 or “An Ordinance Prohibiting all Souvenir Shops, Department/ Garment Stores, and Online Selling Stores in Mountain Province from Manufacturing, Distributing and Selling Machine-made Replica of Cordillera Indigenous Woven Materials and Apparels in Mountain Province.”
Article 1, Section 2 of the ordinance states that the local government must preserve the cultural heritage of the province which includes the protection and preservation of indigenous weavings which has been an essential part of the Cordillera Indigenous People’s way of life, serving both as a means of cultural expression and becoming part of the history and vital source of livelihood.
With the ordinance, the provincial government ensures to safeguard the indigenous weaving heritage of the Cordillera by prohibiting the production and distribution of machine-made copies of indigenous weaving.
The ordinance’s provisions shall apply to all souvenir shops, department/garment stores, and online selling sites in Mountain Province.
Indigenous weaving refers to the manual and traditional method of textile production utilizing handlooms and other manual techniques while machine-made copy or replica refers to textiles or garments that imitate the patterns, symbols, and design of Indigenous weaves but are produced using industrial means like digital printing, screen printing, and similar methods.
Violation of any provision of the ordinance will be met with corresponding sanctions in addition to the confiscation of the machine-made copy or replica. On the first offense, the violator will be reprimanded, and notice will be given to provide an explanation, while on the second offense, the items will be confiscated. Moreover, the penalties for third and succeeding offenses are confiscation and cancellation of the permit.
The provincial ordinance was carried out during the June 2, 2025 session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and was subsequently approved by Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. By MP-PIO
