Meet and Greet with the Weavers and Designers
TAGUIG CITY, Metro Manila – Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) and Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) conducted the first engagement of the weavers and the designers last February 28, 2018. This concluded the successful activities for the first working calendar of PTRI’s involvement with GREAT Women Project 2, funded by the Global Affairs Canada set to end on 2020.
The GREAT Women Project 2, also termed Supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Philippines, is recognized as a gender platform that focuses on improving the competitiveness and sustainability of women’s enterprises. It gives the WME’s an avenue not only to produce quality, and environmentally sustainable products but also to become market-ready locally and globally.
The activity kicked-off with warm greetings by Director Celia Elumba of PTRI, acknowledging the presence of the Global Affairs Canada representative, Ms. Mary Lynch; followed by Ms. Luzviminda Villanueva of PCW. It was emphasized that as textiles fall under the priority products that the GREAT Women Project 2 advocates, it is a vital part for the project to support the different communities of PTRI handloom weavers and natural dyers coming from different parts of the country. The chosen known local designers namely Maco Custodio, Kyla Olives, Gabbie Sarenas, Apol Massebieau, Tal De Guzman, Adante Seyesa, and Zara Juan who attended for Anika Martirez will become part of the value chain to develop and create potential products and designs. These will be launched to cater to a high-end, bigger market that can become sustainable and modest for the community, specifically the women’s businesses.
The program proceeded with an introduction of each designers, followed by the thirteen (13) different handloom weaving and natural dyeing communities who proudly brought and showed samples of their own designs and products namely:
- Women United Through Handcrafted Lace and Embroidery (Belgian lace, hand embroidery)
- Salngan Livelihood Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SLMPC)
- Kenhulung Handicrafts Federation, Inc. (KHFI)
- Kalyak Blaan Care Group (KBCG)
- Eman Handweavers Association
- Ayala Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (ABAI) Weavers
- Bagtason Loom Weavers Association
- Nagbacalan Loomweavers MPC
- San Jose Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SJMPC)
- Lumbaan Weavers and Cotton Producers Cooperative
- Buhi OTOP Key Players Association (BOKPA)
- Lugo, Amganad and Banaue Tie Dye Weavers Association (LABTDWA)
- Namarabar Indigo Dyers Multi-Purpose Cooperative
The activity gave ample time for the designers and partner communities to initially discuss and know further details about one another and level-off on their upcoming collaboration. Moreover, with the new working calendar of PTRI with GREAT Women Project 2 for the year 2018, it was also relevant to orient the communities and designers on the new direction of the home style and wearables industry cluster of the GREAT Women Project 2.
