100-Year-Old GAMABA Awardee Magdalena Gamayo Weaves Philippine Cotton Again
In Pinili, Ilocos Norte, National Living Treasure Magdalena Gamayo weaves with Philippine cotton once more. At 100, her hands remain steady, crafting inabel, an Ilocano textile tradition. This return to Philippine cotton marks a blend of heritage and innovation.
The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) is leading this revival. On February 12, 2025, in celebration of National Arts Month, the Institute provided 9 kilograms of brown and 6 kilograms of white ring-spun Philippine cotton yarns to the GAMABA Weavers Association. This initiative revives Philippine cotton to boost local textiles, cut imports, and promote sustainability, providing weavers with quality, sustainable yarns.
For generations, inabel weaving has featured patterns like binakol, inuritan, kusikos, and Inubon a Sabong. Gamayo now weaves inunsoy, a stripe-patterned weave, using DOST-PTRI-developed cotton yarns. This effort ensures traditional weaving remains relevant and sustainable.
The GAMABA Weaving Association, based at the GAMABA Cultural Center, is one of the first batch of communities selected for DOST-PTRI’s yarn deployment. The field trials allow weavers to assess the yarn’s quality, ensuring alignment with traditional techniques before commercialization.
"This is a weaving movement in which we ask communities to validate with us whether cotton can be used for weaving. We seek feedback as it allows us to adjust the specifications of the cotton yarns." said DOST-PTRI Director Julius L. Leaño, Jr..
Gamayo and the GAMABA Weaving Association refine DOST-PTRI-developed yarns, ensuring they align with traditional weaving standards. By actively weaving with these new yarns and providing valuable feedback, they contribute to R&D, bridging innovation and heritage.
To learn more about DOST-PTRI’s programs, technologies, and services, the Institute may be reached through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and its official social media accounts.
