The Potters of Santa Maria (Isabela)

The pottery of the Ybanags of Santa Maria, Isabela

On our fifth day in Isabela, we boarded our tour bus for the long 85-km. (2-hour) drive to Santa Maria where we were to observe the indigenous Ybanag method of producing pots and earthen ware.  Along the way, we crossed the Cagayan River via the Cabagan – Santa Maria Overflow Bridge (usually impassable during heavy rains) which will soon be replaced by the still unfinished, 720 m. long, 12-span, P639.6 million Santa Maria-Cabagan Landmark Bridge.

Santa Maria-Cabagan Landmark Bridge

Upon arrival at Brgy.Poblacion 3, one of four barangays engaged in pottery making (the others are Poblacion 2, San Rafael West and Quinagabian) located in the interior northwestern part of the province, we were welcomed by Santa Maria Vice-Mayor Michael Abraham G. Pagauitan and Municipal Tourism Officer Rex T. Arao.  After registering ourselves at the barangay hall, both toured us around the center of pottery making in the community.

Municipal Tourism Officer Rex T. Arao (center) with members of national media

The unique indigenous pottery traditions of the Madweng inan Ybanag community showcase the Ybanag (or Ibanagculture as a whole. Their pottery products differ from other ethnographic people with the way they make this earthenware which they call dweng, an Ybanag term derived from Madweng, referring to an Ybanag  potter who makes and sells pottery products made from clay and other indigenous materials.

Members of national media

Santa Maria boasts huge non -metallic deposit of clay (davvun) or mud containing minerals and other organic materials which are similar to those plant and animal remains which is the basically the main ingredient of the dweng (pot). The dweng products of Santa Maria include pots for cooking purposes, vases, storage jars, garden and home decorations and bricks.

Since 1954, save for a minimal technological advancement in manufacturing pots using the hurmaan ( molder), there have been no major changes in the method of manufacture from the teachings of the Kalingas. Like other tribes of the Cordillera Central as well as the Bukidnon, Tausug, Pampango, and Cebuano, they use a technique called “paddle and anvil.”

Finished products for viewing

However, the Pampango, Cebuano, and Tausug use an anvil made of stone while the Mandukayan Kalinga use their hands to shape the pot and press its walls thin, then the inside is smoothened by a curved piece of bamboo.  The Ybanag pottery tradition was introduced by the Kalingas.  Forming the dweng products of Santa Maria does not happen in single hour or day. To assure its quality upon utilization, it involves various stages and processes in their pottery making.

Scrap wood, garani (rice straw)and carabao/cow manure is inserted in spaces between the pots in preparation for the baking process

First, the davvun, from vast lands nearby, are delivered to their community via a careta, carts pulled by tamed animals. The soft davvun (clay) is first manually pounded and then stored in a humid place covered with plastic ready for the Madweng to mammakkal, the process where the clay is being formed in round balls ready to be hollowed.

Ms. Ruby Canceran, a more than 20-year veteran of pottery making, hollowing out the clay

The molded clay is then wrapped individually with plastic to maintain its moisture, ready for the next stage – the matuvugan (from a root word tuvug meaning “in addition”). In this process, davvun is being added to increase its height and width. Gradually, as it widen, a pempel (a rectangular, flat wooden paddle) is used to paddle the pot while inside is an adadamma (a flat stone) which supports the appepe (a flat wooden paddle used to give shape).  All the while, the Madweng paddles to ensure the right shape of the earthen jar. They then need to be dried and covered again for some hours to form the lid of the pot.

A Madweng woman using a pempel (a flat, wooden paddle) to ensure the right shape of the jar

In the mabibigan (from the root word bibig meaning “mouth) stage, the lid of the pot is formed with the appepe on the outside, opposite a smooth batu (stone anvil to hollow pre-molded round balls) held inside.

Using a potters wheel

Likewise, a kingkil, an inch wide bamboo stick, is used to scrape and smoothen the rough portion of the pot. The walls of the pot are systematically and carefully made thin, smooth and even with the aid of a lupedas or gami, a soft wet cloth used for trimming the edges of the rim of the pot during the finishing stage. It takes an hour to dry.

Using a bamboo stick

After it dries, the pot is ready for the matumpo stage where the pot is turned upside down. As the pot does not yet have a foot to stand up on its own, the base needs to be leveled or flattened using the appepe and the batu to stand.

The next stage is the matakyang (from the Ybanag term meddan tu takki na meaning “to add support”). In this process, a tȁgang (a pre-formed clay patterned from the lid of an aluminum pot) is designed to hold the pot in place until it dries.

Maffulang (painting) stage

After this process is systematically done, the pots are now ready for the maffulang (painting) stage.  A kind of davvun is used to color or paint the pots red.  For a while, the davvun is soaked in water to soften the soil, ready to be kneaded, until it becomes fine.  The residue is strained to ensure the finest quality. In this stage, a commercial paint brush is used to paint the pot to its natural look. To facilitate the painting faster, a potter’s wheel, manually operated by the foot, is used to yield more than a hand does.

After mafulla stage, the pots will be dried for a while.  They proceed to makkili stage where uneven or rugged parts of the pots are scraped and a lupedas used for the finishing touches. Next is the akkingki , another step to keep the pots shiny.

Garani (rice straw)

When this is done, the pots are now ready for the last stage for all kinds or types of dweng – the magabba or maluttu (firing, baking or cooking) stage.  Magabba is an Ibanag term which means to cook or “mallutu.”  This stage is usually done in the their own workshop or within an open area adjacent to their houses. This busy and laborious day for the potters, done with so much prudence and caution during the hottest ray of sunshine, takes a whole day, from the preparation down to cooking and cooling.

Carabao/cow manure

In the cooking area, the dweng is arranged on top of the evenly scattered pieces of dried wood or the carabao/cow manure and evenly covered by garani (rice straw) as each side is protected by unused or rejected dwengs, in anticipation of a possible collapse happening. Then the firing begins. Depending on the products and its volume, cooking hours ranges from a minimum of 3 to 5 hours. This indigenous way of cooking has been introduced and practiced for a long time and until the present.

Magabba (baking stage)

How to Get There: Santa Maria is located 451.2 kms. (a 10-hr. drive), via the Pan Philippine Highway, AH26, to Manila and 7.8 kms. (a 1.5-hr. drive) from the City of Ilagan.

Municipal Tourism, Culture and Arts Office: mobile number: (0905) 692-1342.

Montano Sardines Pasalubong Center (Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte)

Prior to returning from Dipolog to Manila, we made a stopover at the Montano Sardines Pasalubong Center for the  now-famous, Spanish-style Montaño Sardines, one of the sought-after and bought pasalubong item in Dipolog City (the “Bottled Sardines Capital of the Philippines”).

Montano Sardines Pasalubong Center

Montaño Sardines, cooked in either vegetable (olive or corn) oil or in tomato sauce, with salt, peppercorns and slices of pickles and carrots, are packed and sold, in regular and spicy flavors, in clear glass jars weighing 228 gms, or 8.05 oz. Best eaten with still hot steamed rice along with any viand you fancy taking it with, it is also available in some of the leading grocery stores or supermarkets in major cities nationwide. Other than their famous sardines, they also have different types of products such as milkfish (bangus) variety in olive oil and white wine, Spanish chorizo, beef tapa, pork tocino, ginisang bagoong, fruit preserves, chicharon, fried peanuts and empanada.

It had its beginnings back in 1970 when Mr. Nicasio “Nick” Macias Montaño, then handling a budding construction business started, with the encouragement of her mother Doña Concepcion Macias Montaño, a single proprietorship that produces bottled sardines in different variants. In 1995, after the family-owned firm was incorporated, it was named Montaño Foods Corporation (MFC), the first manufacturer of bottled sardines in the country. In 1998, the firm bagged the Outstanding Countryside Investor of the Year, small-scale industries category, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Philippine Business Conference

Before the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) intervention, MFC only produced 10 to 20 cases of bottled sardines every month. But, after availing of the first phase of interventions, MFC significantly increased its production capacity.

With a SETUP-ISSF assistance amounting to Php 985,899, plus technology training and consultancies, MFC became a popular pasalubong brand in Dipolog City.  On the second phase of interventions, another Php 1.9 million worth of financial assistance enabled the firm to acquire new technologies that further improved production efficiency and product quality.

Since then, the firm has generated a total of 75 local employments and, especially for the peak season, maintains a pool of on-call workers. Being a European Union (EU) Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP, a product control system for the food industry)-certified company, it was also able to penetrate the export market and, today, is now a multi-million enterprise.

In 2014, the firm produced 1,253 cases of sardines, recording a total gross sales of Php 2,025,420.  Nicasion “Nick” Montano,his son, now serves as MFC’s president and manager.  Lourdes Montaño -Madlambayan, Nick’s daughter, set up satellite offices in Manila.  MFC supports the livelihood of local fishermen. Though there are now about 15 bottled sardines manufacturers in the city, MFC still commands 80% share of the local market.

Montaño Sardines Pasalubong Center: Martinez Village, Turno, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.  Tel: (+63-65) 212 2737. Fax: (+63-65) 212-4376. E-mail: sardines_mfc@yahoo.com.

The Inabel Weavers of Sabangan (Santiago, Ilocos Sur)

Corazon C. Agosto Ethnic Handloom Weaving

Part of Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant-sponsored tour

Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant organizes educational tours for guests and one of their tours includes a visit to the nearby Corazon C. Agosto Ethnic Handloom Weaving which manufactures the strong and colorful inabel (sometimes referred to as abel iloko or simply abel) cloth, one of the many known textiles that come from the weavers of Santiago. The traditional woven product of the Ilocos region, abel  weaving is one of the richest weaving practices in the Philippines.

Abel garments and textiles, characterized by their vivid colors, precisely woven geometric patterns, different variations and the accuracy of the grid designs (woven without any specialized equipment), are some of the most well known in the Philippines. We were welcomed by the 82 year old Ms. Corazon Campilla Agosto (fondly called Manang Cora or Coring) who heads the Sabangan Original Loom Weavers Association, an accredited non-government organization of the proud coastal community that continues to practice weaving traditions passed down from generations of Ilokano weavers.

All the weaving knowledge of Manang Cora dates back to 1941 when, as a little girl, she watched her mother and grandmother working the loom.  She began weaving in 1961 (earning P5 per output at most). In 1975, she decided to independently pursue this business (selling her two pigs for money to use as capital), selling her woven blankets to traders in Vigan.

 

Struggling to make ends meet, she tried out working as a domestic helper in Manila for a year before eventually returning home to continue weaving. To keep the production going, she passed down her knowledge to her own daughter Logelin Quional along with the other female weavers she works with. Even her son-in-law as well as her grandchildren (Aliyah and Aldrix) knows how to weave.

Ms. Corazon “Manang Cora” Agosto

In 1990, Sabangan’s weaving industry experienced an economic boost when former Philippine senator Anna Dominique “Nikki” Coseteng, who had a passion for local weaves, saw the works of Manang Cora and brought them to a wider market. Partnering with the Itneg/Tingguian, she and the Sabangan weavers continues to use their weaving motifs in her products today.

She describes her laborious and technical weaving practice (like many traditional Philippine weaving practices) as tawid-tawid (from the Filipino word tawid meaning “to cross”), showing us just how precise the hand of an inabel weaver is. The process begins with the stage called aggan-ay wherein her loom is readied by placing her warp threads vertically across the structure, allowing her to determine the colors and size of her final cloth.

The next stage, called agpulipol, is where the weaver rolls the thread up using a wooden spindle (called a pulipol) which readies the warp threads for weaving. During the design setting phase (agpili), the weaver inserts the horizontal weft threads into the base so she may start plotting the design. During agabel, the final weaving process, the weaver uses a boat-shaped sikwan (heddle bar) that moves back and forth across the cotton cloth, the swift hands rhythmically pulling the reed toward the beam that adds another row to the design which slowly comes to life.

Kusikus pattern

On display are the expertly crafted final woven products of Mang Cora and the Sabangan weavers, a testament to their skill in mastering the tawid-tawid.  Two of the inabel cloths feature the kusikus, a common pattern created by a weaving process known as binakol (also known as binakel or binakael, from the Ilocano word meaning “twill”) characterized by undulating square grids meant to mimic whirlpool patterns. Sailors use kusikus cloths as masts for their ships, believing the patterns would appease the gods of the sea and protect them from whirlpools.

Kusikus pattern

Another inabel cloth featured the pinilian pattern, a brocade weave (often with different colors of threads) which usually has different motifs woven into its warp, from the tao-tao (human figures), to animals, to sinanbaggak (stars) and mata-mata (eye symbols).

Pinilian pattern featuring sinanbaggak (stars)

Today, there is great appreciation, both locally and globally, for the inabel of Manang Cora and the weavers of the Sabangan Original Loom Weavers Association in Santiago and their weaves have become recognized for their beauty and skill..

Corazon C. Agosto Ethnic Handloom Weaving: Brgy. Sabangan, Santiago, Ilocos Sur.

Santiago Cove Hotel and Restaurant: Sabangan Beach, Brgy. Sabangan, Santiago 2707, Ilocos Sur.  Mobile number: (0917) 115-4495 (Globe), (0917) 654-2078 (Globe), (0968) 851-5446 (Smart) and (0955) 773-9793 (Rodrigo’s).  E-mail: hsantiagocovehotel@gmail.com.

Julio’s Bed and Breakfast (Loay, Bohol)

Julio’s Bed and Breakfast

Our final stop in our Bohol culinary tour was at Julio’s Bed and Breakfast, a stone’s throw away from an exquisite shoreline, pristine waters and calming sunset view of Loay Bay.

Loay Bay

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by its eponymous proprietor, Mr. Pio Araneta and his wife Dra. Grace. The restaurant here is the highlight of our visit.

Mr. Pio Araneta explaining how a pasgong (traditional bamboo trap) works

At the restaurant’s kitchen, we first experienced how the popular siakoy (also spelled as syakoy, siyakoy and shakoy) snack, also known as lubid-lubid (“little rope”), was made.

Siakoy making demonstration

This long, braided, soft, puffy and airy pastry, with a similar taste to the sugary doughnuts sold on streetside bakeries, is traditionally made with flour, sugar, salt, and yeast and deep-fried and then sprinkled with white sugar.

Ready-to-eat, deep-fried siakoy

It was best paired with tableya sikwate, native hot chocolate made using the traditional batirol (wooden whisk), and latik (coconut caramel).

Siakoy is best paired with sikwate (hot native chocolate drink)

Pio then demonstrated how generations of locals in the area prepared nilubihang or ginataang kagang (land crab with niyog), an heirloom recipe which incorporated the fat of native land crabs (kagang) with fresh coconut meat and water plus herbs, vegetables and spices.

Nilubihang kagang ingredients

Pio cooking nilubihang kagang

While waiting for the kagang to cook, Ms. Lily Busano (president of the Albur Calamay Makers Association) showed us how kalamay, Bohol’s most popular  pasalubong, was prepared and cooked.

Ms. Lily Busano (president of the Albur Calamay Makers Association) with finishe kalamay products

This sticky, sweet delicacy is made with grated coconut, coconut milk, brown sugar, muscovado sugar, peanuts and pilit (ground glutinous rice).

The thick sugary mix being stirred continuously in a giant wok

To create the smooth, sticky consistency, the thick sugary mix was stirred continuously in a giant wok for up to 8 hours. Upon cooling, the kalamay is then transferred, preserved and sold in a type of packaging is known as kalamay-hati,  inside signature halved smooth mesocarp of coconuts, locally known as bagul or paya which are then sealed shut with a characteristic red papel de japon (crepe paper).

It can be eaten on its own or turned into a spread for bread or siakoy. The sikwate, siakoy and kalamay are perfect for breakfast, merienda and dessert.

Kagang (Land Crab)

Before we ate the nilubihang kagang, Pio checked out the pasgong, traditional handmade bamboo traps used for catching kagang.  The mouths of the traps were previously poised outside the crab holes and left overnight.

Pasgong, a traditional bamboo trap used to trap kagang

Sure enough, two of the traps we observed had crabs caught inside them. There’s no need for bait for this quick and efficient process but each trap could fit only one crab.

Media colleagues try their hand at weaving pouches for puso (hanging rice)

Nilubihang Kagang

While waiting, cocktails were also served. Others also tried their hand in weaving a pouch of palm leaves for puso or tamu (hanging rice).  Soon, the nilubihang kagang was done and this was eaten with puso and pork barbecue.  Dessert consisted of  turon (banana spring rolls).

Media group (L-R): the author, Mr. John Paul Dacuycuy, Mr. Nickie Wang (Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, Manila Standard), Mr. Anton Delos Reyes (Writer, Malaya Business Insight). Ms. Raye Sanchez (Lifestyle and Entertainment Writer, Daily Tribune), Ms. Christine Alpad (Senior Reporter, Manila Times Lifestyle and Entertainment Desk), Mr. Alvin Alcantara (www.thediarist.ph), Ms. Lourdes Sultan (Travel Village Tours and Travel), Mr. Mario Alvaro Limos (Features Editor, Esquire Philippines), Ms. Roxanne M. Gochuico (Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Cebu Pacific), Mr. Pete Dacuycuy (Publicist) and Mr. Pio Araneta 

Julio’s Bead and Breakfast: Del Carmen St., Villalimpia 303, Loay.  Mobile number: (0922) 515-7594.

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300.  Tel: (038) 411 3666.  Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com.  Website: www.bohol.ph.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII:  G/F, L.D.M Building, Legaspi St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu.  Tel: (032) 254 6650 and(032) 254 2811. E-mail: dotregion7@gmail.com.  Website: dot7@tourism.gov.ph.

Bluewater Panglao Resort: Bluewater Rd, Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.  Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697.  Mobile numbers: (0998) 843-0262, (0998) 964-1868 (Ms. Margie Munsayac – VP-Sales and Marketing), (0998) 962-8277 (Ms. Louee Garcia), (0919) 912-9663 (Mr. Manuel Sandagaon) and (0908) 890-9013 (Ms. Kate Biol).   Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph, resrvations.panglao@bluwater.com.phmargie.munsayac@bluewater.com.phlouee.garcia@bluewater.com.ph, manuel.sandagon@bluewater.com.ph and kate.biol@bluwater.com.ph.  Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph.  Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348.  Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Cebu Pacific Air currently flies seven times daily from Manila and thrice weekly from Davao City (every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Bohol’s Panglao International Airport.  Visist www.cebupacificair.com to learn about their latest offerings, safety protocols and travel reminders.

Asinan ni Tan Inong (Alburquerue, Bohol)

Asinan ni Tan Inong

From Loboc, we proceeded to Alburquerque (Albur for short) where we visited a remote village to see how the legendary asín tibuok (literally meaning “unbroken salt” or “whole salt” in the Cebuano language of the Boholano people), a rare Filipino artisanal sea salt from Bohol, is made at the Asinan ni Tan Inong.

Made by filtering seawater through ashes, it is usually consumed by being traditionally dusted lightly over plain hot rice, with a few drops of oil, and eaten as is, it is also used to season sinangag (traditional fried rice). Asín tibuok could be grounded and used like regular table salt or chunks can also be broken off and dipped into stews and dishes.  A variant of the salt, also known as túltul (meaning “lump”) in Guimaras or dúkdok (meaning “pounded” or “pulverized”) in Capiz, is made similarly to asín tibuok but is boiled with gatâ (coconut milk).

Coconut husks in special pits filled with sea water during the tides

Due to the time-consuming traditional methods of producing salt and the hard work that go with its manufacture, the passing of the salt iodization (ASIN) law (Republic Act No. 8172) in 1995, as well as competition with modern and cheap imported salts prevalent today in the Philippines, the tradition of making asín tibuok and túltul is nearly extinct as it placed further stress on local artisanal salt-makers, forcing many to give up the industry altogether. Today, only a few families make asín tibuok and túltul and, due to their rarity, are considerably more expensive than regular salt.

Coconut husks slowly being burned in a pile

Commonly sold for the tourist trade (for their novelty) as well as to gourmet restaurants that feature Filipino cuisine, the demand for asín tibuok and túltul is usually high but the supply simply cannot keep up. Offering an equally special flavor that undoubtedly makes it one of the rarest kinds of salt in the world, asín tibuok is now listed in the Ark of Taste international catalogue of endangered heritage foods by the Slow Food movement.

The funnel-shaped bamboo filtering device

At the Asinan ni Tan Inong, the 72 year old Nestor Manongas explained the unique and meticulous process in the manufacture of asin tibuok. The Manongas family is the only one family still upholding this tradition in Poblacion, preserving a part of their history that makes use of nature’s best without harming it.

Sea water storage tanks.  Sea water is poured into the gasang to leach out the salt from the ashes

Firstly, for several months, coconut husks are left to soak in special pits continually filled with seawater during the tides so that they can absorb the natural sea minerals along the coastline, giving us an idea of how long it takes just to acquire the natural minerals required for asin tibuok’s unique taste which gives off a unique smoky and salty flavor which is tastier and sharper than the kinds of salt you would find in grocery.

The non-iodized salt ready to be packed

Next, the coconut husks are then chopped into small pieces and sun-dried for at least 2 to 3 days. After that, for about a week, these husks are slowly burned in a pile, strictly using native hardwoods such as ipil-ipil, mahogany and duhat, until reduced completely to an activated charcoal (called gasang) which are gathered into a funnel-shaped bamboo filtering device. Seawater is poured into the gasang, allowing the water to leach out the salt from the ashes. The brine or filtered seawater (known as tasik) is then collected into a hollowed out coconut trunk beneath the funnels.  This coconut charcoal combination provides the unique aroma of asin tibuok.

Dinosaur-shaped clay pots

The tasik is poured into special dinosaur egg-shaped clay pots and hung in walls in a special furnace where it is boiled for a few hours.  Once some evaporate, the pots are continually replenished with more tasik. As both the heat and salt must not be left alone, this final process requires focus and dedication.  As more water evaporates, the sea salt gets harder and the process continues until the clay pot gets filled with hard rock salt.

Mr. Nestor Manongas with the finished product

Eventually, the pots will crack, revealing the solidified pinkish mass of salt which is initially very hot.  After following this heating process all day, it then requires a whole evening before it will be cool enough to be handled. The finished product is  a salt orb in various shades of white, grey and brown and weighing roughly a kilo. As they are sold along with the broken domed pots, they are given them the nickname, in international markets, “the dinosaur egg” due to their appearance. Only 120 pieces of asin tibuok’ are made per batch and these are usually sold out for weeks.

The packaged product

Asinan ni Tan Inong: Brgy. Eastern Poblacion, Alburquerque 6301, Bohol. Mobile number: (0907) 168-0961. Open Mondays-Saturdays, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Cornerstone Pottery Farm (Silang, Cavite)

Cornerstone Pottery Farm

Part Five of “Drive, Dine and Discover” Cavite Caravan

From Likhang Maragondon, we made the long 36.2-km. (one-hour) drive to Silang’s charming Cornerstone Pottery Farm, a producer of world-class handmade stoneware using locally and internationally sourced clay.   It was raining heavily when we arrived.  Owner Mr. EJ Espiritu was on hand to welcome us. Their beautiful and unique wares can be found in your favorite neighborhood coffee shops, monthly bazaars, and yearly art fairs in the metro. Through the years, Cornerstone Pottery Farm has undoubtedly carved a name for itself in the local pottery business.

Check out “Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center

EJ Espiritu

It started from humble beginnings. EJ and his wife Eva, the brilliant minds behind Cornerstone, have created this whimsical space for creators and purveyors alike.

Workshop

EJ, who finished ceramic engineering at the Adamson University, worked with several ceramic companies for 10 years before going to the US, working as a rank and file employee – laboratory technician, section head, sales engineer for a ceramic materials company, then a plant manager for an export firm.

In 1996, as soon as EJ and Eva arrived from the US, where they tied the knot (they had a civil wedding in October 1994 in Wisconsin and a church wedding in June 1995), the first business that they ventured into was ceramics in the garage of the house that they rented at St. Joseph Subdivision in Bacoor, Cavite. After two to three months, as Cornerstone Ceramic Manufacturing, they were offered to be a subcontractor for an export company making ceramic items.

After four years of being a subcontractor in Cavite, they started making functional items and joined trade fairs. That really helped propel the business into the right direction.  By year 2000, they started developing the stoneware product line.

An array of mugs of different sizes, colors and shapes

They were challenged to constantly develop new concepts and product lines, deal with clients and innovate. With the new lines they had, they were overwhelmed by the response of the market and they were able to meet some institutional buyers like Regalong Pambahay, Rust, Kultura and other stores and shops. In 2005, they opened their doors as Cornerstone Pottery Farm in Silang.

One of the shop’s three kilns

Before the pandemic happened, sales were very encouraging, with a lot of restaurants in Manila, BGC (Bonifacio Global City), Makati and Alabang actually getting from them like Rambla, Las Flores, Tomatito, James and Daughters, and Black Pig, to name a few.  For nearly two decades now, they have also been making mugs for Bag of Beans in Tagaytay.

Showroom

Cornerstone Pottery Farm also had projects with The Fore of Kim Jones, and Tropa Lifestyle Store of Borgy Manotoc and girlfriend Carla Sison. Moreover, the pottery farm regularly joins Art in the Park, Artefino, the Gallery 9 exhibit and American Women’s Bazaar.

Celebrities, who got wind of their unique creations, have trooped all the way to Silang, Cavite to visit their factory and showroom where their handmade ceramic products, earthenware jars and stoneware can be seen.

An array of deformed pottery in the foreground

Normally, they post schedules of workshops that EJ occasionally conducts and people register online. Participants were people from the city who want to try their hands on pottery, learn new skills or make something with their hands (expats, a group of friends, office mates, etc.) or even like a team building exercise or amazing race type of exercise.  Some, like Jericho Rosales and his wife Kim Jones, Melai Cantiveros, Drew Arellano and Andi Manzano, have even participated in the pottery workshop.

 

The production area is where they do the quite labor-intensive process by hand, starting from pouring the clay into the molds, down to assembling, drying, firing, and glazing the items.

Because of the lack of local suppliers of processed clay, they use only 10 to 20% of local materials, with the rest imported clay from a few of companies that import the materials and distribute locally as it is very hard to import materials on their own.  Apart from the production area, you can also find the workshop area where EJ usually creates premium items and conducts pottery workshops.

For EJ, pottery, an intricate form of art and it takes a lot of effort to produce both a functional and aesthetic stoneware, let alone find authentic and handmade ones, is his profession, his means of income and his passion.

He takes charge of the technical and production areas in the factory and is also visible in manning the booths, every time they join exhibits and national trade fairs organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions and other exhibitions. Eva and Angelo, his son, also helps him. During exhibits, Angelo is also very good in talking with clients.

EJ kneading clay

EJ also does purchasing, delivery sometimes and meeting clients while Eva, a natural born artist, designer and IT expert, does the marketing, maintaining the social media presence, developing concepts and themes for upcoming shows or exhibit and designing the booths.

Shaping the kneaded clay using a potter’s wheel

At the shop, Mr. EJ Espiritu demonstrated, using his hands and an electrically driven potter’s wheel, the first two steps in pottery making.  To prepare the clay for pottery, EJ kneaded (or wedged) it by hand to push the “air bubbles” out and make it pliable and clean, with an even consistency and right water content.

EJ explaining the pottery making process to Cavite Caravan participants

Next was the actual shaping (or “pinching”), with EJ inserting the thumb of his hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while it is rotating.  Soon, a bowl came into shape.   This was as far as he went.  The succeeding steps involved a long drying process until the pottery is bone dry (to prevent cracking and breaking) before firing in the kilns (the shop has three) and glazing. The entire process takes about three weeks to a month.

After the demonstration, EJ ushered us to the showroom where all items on display are for sale.  Here, you can purchase pots, hand rolled dinnerware, mugs (ranging from Php 350 to Php 750), tea sets, chimes, vases, sculptural pieces, centerpieces, table top fountains, incense chambers, oil burners and various other ceramic wares.  All their glazes are food safe and lead free.

L-R: Arabelle Jimenez, Bernard Supetran, the author, Pam Lee and EJ Espiritu

Cornerstone Pottery Farm: Balubad 1 Cornerstone, B1084 Balubad 1st Road, Service Road, Silang, 4118 Cavite.  Mobile numbers: (0919) 995-2022 and (0932) 851-6444. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8:30 AM to 5 PM. Website: www.cornerstonepotteryfarm.com. E-mail: eve@cornerstonepotteryfarm.com. Facebook: facebook.com/cornerstonepotteryfarm.  Coordinates: 14.1948235714, 120.950244642.

How To Get There:

  • By car: From Makati take the SLEX and turn right to Carmona Exit. From Carmona Exit, continue on Governor’s Dr. to Emilio Aguinaldo Hwy. Turn right at Balubad 1st Rd. There is a signage going to Cornerstone on the right side. Turn right and you’ll find Cornerstone Pottery Farm.
  • By public transport: From the Ayala triangle, take the Erjohn and Almark bus bound to Tagaytay and then get off at Balubad 1st Rd., then ride a tricycle going to Cornerstone Pottery Farm. Tricycle fare is Php 15 one way.

Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail:  info@aap.org.ph.

AAP Lakbay, Inc.: G/F, Sea Tower Bldg., 332 Roxas Blvd. cor. Arnaiz St., Pasay City.  Tel: (32) 8551-0025 and (632) 8403-543.  E-mail: aaplakbay.caravan@gmail.com.  Coordinates:
14.5456531, 120.9914728
.

Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center (Cavite)

Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center

Part Four of “Drive, Dine and Discover” Cavite Caravan

Before proceeding to Silang, we made another 1-km. drive, from Caingin Port (gateway to our Maragondon Cultural River Cruise), for souvenir shopping at Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center, an award-winning native products enterprise which is helping revive the town’s age-old weaving tradition and bamboo craft by making them available to a bigger market.

Check out “Maragondon Cultural River Cruise

Ms. Catherine “Therine” U. Diquit, Likhang Maragondon founder

Operating since 2019, it taps into the traditional craftsmanship of local-based and eco-friendly weaving and bamboo products made by 12 skilled Maragondon-based weavers and sewists, most of whom are housewives.

Their tagline is “Heritage in Your Hands, Crafted with a Purpose.”  Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by a duo serenading us with native songs and Ms. Catherine “Therine” U. Diquit, the social entrepreneur and founder behind the business.

A duo performing native folk songs

They make all sorts of bamboo products such as lanterns (Php1,100); dinosaur lamps (Php3,000-3,500); dog lamp (Php2,200); hanging lamps (Php1,600); tube lamp (Php1,600); speaker calendar (Php1,500); 3-layer rack (Php3,500); trapezoid lamp (Php1,500); double rectangle lamp (Php1,650); double trapezoid lamps (Php1,600); vase stand (Php2,500); alcohol pump dispensers; planters (Php480); trio containers (Php380); trays (Php380); and frames (Php500). Their energy-saving and eco-friendly bamboo speakers (Php475) have a center slit where you can insert your cell phones and play music.

Other eco-friendly products include hand-painted refrigerator magnets (Php50); pins and key chains; vases; mugs (Php150) and crochet accessories.

Their very fashionable and comfortable handwoven Maragondon habing face masks (Php350 each), the first locally made mask to conform with the recommended minimum specifications, for non-medical masks for community use, of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), Department of Health (DOH), DOST-PHST (who conducted several tests on the mask) and World Health Organization (WHO), are made by the last three weavers of Maragondon using  antique wooden looms.

These face masks are composed of four layers, two inner made with hydrophilic materials, and two outermost made with locally hand loom-woven fabric made with 40% upcycled thread from garment factory rejects.  These have been shipped to 13 Philippine regions and 21 countries, including North Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and Canada.

A habing dress for sale

Other habing products include boleros (Php2,500-3,400); blankets (Php1,400); table runners (80” x 8.5,” Php395); throw pillow cases (18’ x 18,” Php800 for a set of 2), toiletry pouches (9.5 x 7,” Php780); pouches (Php270); refrigerator and water dispenser covers; passport/vaccination card holder (Php350); handbags (Php1,500); hair bun twist (Php280); hand towels (Php390 for set of 3); turbans (Php380); place mats (Php1,400 for 8 pieces); braided bracelets (Php120); tote bag (Php975-1,750); aprons (Php480); laptop/document bag (Php1,400); Amigurumi dolls (Php180-200); shades pouch (Php300); coin purses (Php225); clutch bag (Php1,250); kitchen towel set (Php350 for 2); wall mail organizer (Php320); accordion wallet (Php365); kimonos; ponchos (Php900); jackets (Php1,400); ribbon scunchies (Php80); scarves; key holders (5” x 1, Php280); etc.

Several local artists, such as Pastor Lito Gestiada (acrylic paintings) and Dan Turiano (oil pastel ‘Starry Night’ version of Mt. Buntis) have commissioned their masterpieces at Likhang Maragondon. Some artists have also painted the bamboo products to give more colors and design.

They also sell native delicacies such as delectable puto with dinuguan (Php600 for 20 pieces); peanut butter (Php250); yema (Php70); onde-onde; gourmet tinapa (Php250); chili garlic oil (Php120); adobong mani (Php110); biko; atsara (Php250); Ala Carding Backfat chicharon (Php110); Kusina ni Ingga vinegar (Php90-120); ube; flavored palitaw; etc.

Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center: Brgy. Garita A, 4112 Maragondon, Cavite.  Mobile number: (0995) 138-1813.  E-mail: likhangmaragondon@yahoo.com. Website: www.likhangmaragondon.com.

Maragondon Municipal Tourism Office: G/F, Municipal Bldg., Brgy. Poblacion 1-A, Maragondon, 4112 Cavite.  Tel: (046) 686-3139. Mobile number: (0926) 237-6537.

Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail:  info@aap.org.ph.

AAP Lakbay, Inc.: G/F, Sea Tower Bldg., 332 Roxas Blvd. cor. Arnaiz St., Pasay City.  Tel: (32) 8551-0025 and (632) 8403-543.  E-mail: aaplakbay.caravan@gmail.com.  Coordinates:
14.5456531, 120.9914728
.

The Giant Butaka (City of Ilagan, Isabela)

Giant Butaka

After our visit to the Ilagan Japanese Tunnel, we made a stopover, for supplies, at a pretty Bonifacio Park in Ilagan City.  Here, it brought me face to face with the pride of Isabela and Ilagan’s winning bid for Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest armchair, locally known as butaka. The butaka is a chair with a long arm rest which is not used for the arms but for the legs.

Check out “Ilagan Japanese Tunnel

The “lazy chair” of rich families, during Spanish era, it was used by hacienderos as their resting chair after a busy day of roaming around their lands and rice fields.  Also known as the “little hospital,” pregnant women also gave birth to their newborn child on a butaka, with their legs comforted by its long armrests.

The giant butaka, christened as the “Butaka ni Goliath,” measured 11.4 ft. high, 20.8 ft. long, 9.7 ft. wide and weighed 2,368 kgs.  It was made from a total of 1,184.48 board ft. of seasoned, first-class narra with a seat made with 1,740 ft. of interwoven 1-in. diameter rattan.  During my visit, the wood varnish has now faded and the rattan weave was in dire need of repair or replacement.

Unveiled for public viewing last April 23, 2003 (in time for Isabela’s 147th founding anniversary on May 11) at the Provincial Capitol’s Rizal Park, it was constructed by 12 to 50 skilled craftsmen of Brgy. Alinguigan II (touted to be the “furniture capital” of the Cagayan Valley, about 95% of Alinguigan residents being furniture makers) in 29 days, working on it daily, even on weekends, from 2 to 10 PM.

The project, to promote Isabela’s furniture industry, reportedly cost about PhP175,000 and, for the manufacture of the giant butaka, the big furniture entrepreneurs in the village contributed at least PhP500 each while small ones chipped in PhP200 each. The rest of the expenses were shouldered by the municipal government, led by Mayor Delfinito Albano.

The author with the giant butaka in the background

Initially, the barangay thought of making a big rocking chair but the Mayor Albano suggested to just make an armchair.  A rocking chair is also locally called a butaka. The rocking chair only evolved from the early butaka early Ilagueños crafted about a century ago. During assembly, at least 15 Ilagueños were needed to carry the chair’s feet and arms.  A boost to the local tourism industry, it gave tourists another reason to visit and explore this vast Cagayan Valley province.

Historical plaque

Giant Butaka: Ilagan Rotunda (the junction going to Cagayan), Bonifacio Park, Brgy. Alinguigan, Maharlika Highway (beside Bonifacio Park), City of Ilagan, Isabela.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: The City of Ilagan is located 429.3 kms. (an 8-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cauayan City.

“Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures)” Exhibit (Manila)

Manlilikha ng Bayan Hall (National Living Treasure) Exhibit

The “Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures)” Exhibit, opened last June 1, 2016, features the work and lives of 13 people awarded, since 1993, the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) or the National Living Treasures Award  (institutionalized through Republic Act No. 7355 in April 1992) in recognition of their contribution and preservation of culture.

Check out “National Museum of Anthropology

A Manlilikha ng Bayan is defined as a citizen engaged in any traditional art uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills have reached such a high level of technical and artistic excellence and have been passed on to and widely practiced by the present generation in his/her community with the same degree of technical and artistic competence.

The 13 awardees are:

  • Ginaw Bilog (1993) a Hanunuo Mangyan poet from Mansalay, Mindoro who took it upon himself to continually keep scores of ambahan (a poetic literary form composed of seven-syllable lines used to convey messages through metaphors and images) poetry recorded, not only on bamboo tubes but on old, dog-eared notebooks passed on to him by friends.
  • Masino Intaray (1993) a gifted Pala’wan poet, musician and bard artist from Brookes Point, Palawan who is an outstanding master of the basal (a gong music ensemble), kulilal (a highly lyrical poem expressing passionate love) and bagit (a strictly instrumental music depicting the rhythms, movements and sounds of nature, birds, monkeys, snakes, chirping of insects, rustling of leaves, the elements and the like)
  • Samaon Sulaiman (1993) a Maguindanao musician from Mama sa Pano, Maguindanao who achieved the highest level of excellence in the art of kutyapi (a two-stringed plucked lute) playing. His extensive repertoire of dinaladay, linapu, minuna, binalig, and other forms and styles, interpreted with refinement and sensitivity, fully demonstrate and creative and expressive possibilities of his instrument.
  • Lang Dulay (1998) – a traditional t’nalak textile weaver from T’boli, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, who knows a hundred designs, including the bulinglangit (clouds), the bankiring (hair bangs), and the kabangi (butterfly), each one special for the stories it tells. Using red and black dyes, she spins her stories with grace and her textiles reflect the wisdom and the visions of her people.
  • Salinta Monon(1998) – a Tagabawa Bagobo textile weaver from Bansalan, Davao del Sur, who built a solid reputation for the quality of her work and the intricacies of her designs. Of the many designs she weaves, her favorite is the binuwaya (crocodile), which is one of the hardest to make.
  • Alonzo Saclag (2000) – a Kalinga master of dance and the performing arts from Lubuagan, Kalinga, who has made it his mission to create and nurture a greater consciousness and appreciation of Kalinga culture, among the Kalinga themselves and beyond their borders. He has also endeavored to revive the dying craft of gangsa (Kalinga gong) making.
  • Federico Caballero (2000) – a Sulod-Bukidnon epic chanter from Calinog, Iloilo who ceaselessly work for the documentation of the oral literature, particularly the ten epics of his people, rendered in a language that, although related to Kiniray-a, is no longer spoken. Together with scholars, artists, and advocates of culture, he painstakingly pieces together the elements of this oral tradition nearly lost.
  • Uwang Ahadas (2000) a Yakan musician from Lamitan City, Basilan skilled in playing the kwintangan kayu (an instrument consisting of five wooden logs hung horizontally, from the shortest to the longest, with the shortest being nearest the ground),  agung and gabbang (a bamboo xylophone).
  • Darhata Sawabi (2004) – a Tausug textile weaver from Parang, Sulu proficient in making the pis syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry worn as a head covering by the Tausug of Jolo, as well as used to adorn native attire, bags, and other accessories.
  • Eduardo Mutuc(2004) a Kapampangan metalsmith from Apalit, Pampanga who dedicated his life to creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze, and wood. His intricately detailed retablos, mirrors, altars, and carosas are in churches and private collections. A number of these works are quite large, some exceeding forty feet, while some are very small and feature very fine and delicate craftsmanship.
  • Haja Amina Appi (2004) a Sama mat weaver from Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi who is recognized as the master mat weaver among the Sama indigenous community of Ungos Matata. Her colorful mats with their complex geometric patterns exhibit her precise sense of design, proportion and symmetry and sensitivity to color. Her unique multi-colored mats are protected by a plain white outer mat that serves as the mat’s backing. Her functional and artistic creations take up to three months to make.
  • Magdalena Gamayo (2012) – an Ilocano textile weaver from PiniliIlocos Norte who exemplifies the best of Filipino abel weaving tradition in Ilocos. Magdalena prefers to work with linen because it is obedient to the master weaver’s touch. She uses a loom with a sturdy wooden frame with three-foot pedals with wide horizontal beams to support the warp and an even longer lengthwise frame to keep the threads in place.
  • Teofilo Garcia (2012) – also called Apu Pilo, this Ilocano from San Quintin, Abra makes tabungaw (gourd casque), a unique, functional and elegant, all-weather headpiece that shields one from the rain and the sun.  The native gourd is hollowed out, polished, and varnished to a bright orange sheen to improve its weather resistance. The inside is lined with finely woven rattan matting, and the brim sports a subtle bamboo weave for accent.

Kwintangan kayu of Uwang Ahadas

This exhibition has been made possible through a partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the highest policy-making and coordinating body for culture and the arts of the State tasked with the administration and implementation of the award, and the Office of the Senator Loren Legarda.

Eduardo Mutuc and his work

The NCCA, through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive Council, conducts the search for the finest traditional artists of the land, adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of their skills to others, and undertakes measures to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill pride among our people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng Bayan.

Tnalak weave of Lang Dulay

On display are some of the finest examples of our traditional artistry such as mats, textiles, costumes, looms, ornaments and musical instruments made y some of the most skillful artists from local ethnic communities across the country as well photos and short biographies of the awardees.

Alonzo Saclag

NOTE: On May 28, 2021, the gallery was upgraded to include the weave masterpieces of three Manlilikha ng Bayan from Mindanao in 2016.  The three are:

  • Ambalang Ausalin (2016) – a Yakan textile weaver from Lamitan City, Basilan who is able to bring forth all designs and actualize all textile categories typical to the Yakan. Using the back strap tension loom, she can execute the suwah bekkat(cross-stitch-like embellishment) and suwah pendan (embroidery-like embellishment) techniques of the bunga sama
  • Estelita Bantilan (2016) – a B’laan mat weaver from Malapatan, Sarangani who weaves thin strips of the pandanus romblon into some of the biggest, most subtly beautiful mats to be seen anywhere in Southeast Asia today. Her devotion to the idea of mats as gifts, rather than as commodities for sale, is the same concept of making that allowed her to refine her art to a technical and aesthetic sophistication vested in remarkable visual restraint.
  • Yabing Masalon Dulo (2016) – a B’laan weaver from Polomolok, South Cotabato, she is an expertin the making of fine, colorful warp ikat textiles from lutáy (abaka to other Philippine peoples).

Pis syabit of Darhata Sawabi

“Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures)” Exhibit: 3/F, National Museum of AnthropologyAgrifina Circle (or Teodoro Valencia Circle, adjacent to the National Museum of Fine Arts building),Padre Burgos Drive, Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila. Tel: (02) 8528-4912 (02) 8527-1232 (Ethnology Division) and (02) 8527-0278. E-mail: nationalmuseumph@gmail.com and nationalmuseumph.anthropology@gmail.com. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is free.

“Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit (Manila)

“Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit

The “Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit, a project spearheaded by Senator Loren Legarda, was inaugurated on May 18, 2012 and is the first permanent exhibit of the National Museum on traditional  Philippine textile weaving, an art that has been performed in the Philippines since pre-colonial times, with each ethnic group having its own particular kind of textile, motifs, and method of production.  Highlighting the National Textile Collection, it shows the history and artistry of Philippine textiles.

Check out “National Museum of Anthropology

Featured are the different textile collections from the National Museum, National Anthropological Collection, and from the private collection of Senator Loren Legarda.

A display of weaving looms

Also seen here are weaving looms (abaca backstrap loom, pina foot loom, etc.) and the intricate process made by our ancestors in designing and producing textile wear from a single simple fiber.

Four sets of traditional native garb in varying shades of red project at the floor-to-ceiling glass case at the entrance. L-R: a two-piece formal female attire worn by the Gaddang of Ifugao; a sa-ul, a set of shirt and trousers traditionally worn by males of the B’laan tribe of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; a more subdued mid-calf-length formal wear of a Tinguian female from Abra; and a brightly hued dagom and sawa worn exclusively by a male Mandaya of high rank in Davao Oriental.

Hibla means “thread” or fiber” and fibers or threads from more than 100 kinds of textiles, including abaca, banana, pineapple and cotton, are seen in the exhibit. The works of more than 100 indigenous groups are also featured.

The exhibit offers a glossy colored catalog that details the stories about each item of clothing, from the source of material to how it is painstakingly handcrafted, the occasion it was worn in and who is allowed by traditional edict to wear it.

For many ethnic groups, weaving is more than a tradition, it is a religious ritual.  The t’nalak fabric, woven by the T’boli people (who first tie-dye abaca threads in earth tones before weaving them) was, until World War II, used mainly for special clothing and to denote bride wealth at high-profile weddings of children of datus.

At left is a Maranao gilingan (wood and metal spinning wheel) from Lanao del Sur Sur

The intricate tapestries of the Tausug’s pis siyabit signified the wearer’s social rank. The tangkulu, a headcloth worn by magani (Bagobo warriors), can display varying shades from chocolate to blood red, depending on the number of lives taken by the wearer.

Tilar/pang-abelan foot loom from Bangar (La Union)

Bi-pedal foot loom donated by La Herminia weavers and Godofredo Ramos Foundation

There are also many tribes that consider fabrics as a form of currency. Among some groups, marriages can be forbidden without the possession of the proper cloth. The T’boli woman was considered low in social status and disallowed from demanding a high bride wealth or dowry if she cannot weave well.  Upon reaching 12 years of age, Bontoc girls were required to learn weaving.

Abl’lun (backstrap loom) used by the Mandaya to weave dagmay, the traditional handwoven textile made of lanot (abaca fibers, Musa textilis).

The museum has photos, taken by assistant director and anthropologist Dr. Ana Maria Theresa P. Labrador, of the funeral of a ranking Bontoc male whose status afforded him to wear an exclusive finangulawan of dark cloth designed with an intricate white pattern during his burial.

Kalinga loom used during the CAR Weaving Demonstration Series (2014)

There are also photos of Filipinos in traditional garb at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition, courtesy of the American Museum of National History archives, as well as modern images of indigenous Filipinos in their tribal wear as well as the evolution of gowns, dresses and Barong Pilipino created by Filipino designers whose artistry enhanced the beauty of the piña, a traditional fiber made from pineapple fiber.

Tausug loom used during the CAR Weaving Demonstration Series (2014)

Other  native weaves and fabrics on display include blankets and apparel woven by the people of the Cordilleras  using a backstrap loom; abaca, silk; balud of the Maranao; abel iloco of Vigan (Ilocos Sur); the Tinguian blankets of Abra; Gaddang garments of Ifugao; textiles of Polomolok (South Cotabato); Maranao garments of Southern Mindanao, the dagmay of the Bagobo of Davao; and the hablon of Iloilo, woven from piña and jusi fibers, cotton and silk (and later manmade fibers),first developed by the people of Miagao in the latter part of the Spanish era.

Backstrap Loom (South Cotabato-B’laan)

Aside from garments narrating personal histories, the exhibit also features accessories worn by indigenous peoples.  Enclosed in a glass case are necklaces worn by the Gaddang to indicate social status. Materials include beads, cowrie shells, mother of pearl, horn, turtle shell, brass and strings.

Display of accessories used by indigenous peoples

“Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles” Exhibit: 4/F, National Museum of Anthropology, Agrifina Circle (or Teodoro Valencia Circle, adjacent to the National Museum of Fine Arts building),Padre Burgos Drive, Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila. Tel: (02) 8528-4912 (02) 8527-1232 (Ethnology Division) and (02) 8527-0278. E-mail: nationalmuseumph@gmail.com and nationalmuseumph.anthropology@gmail.com. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is free.