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| weaving in Barangay Indag-an, Miagao, Iloilo |
Small Scale
Industries may sound small but actually plays a very important part in the
overall growth of an economy. Our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises or MSME
sector has emerged as a highly vibrant and dynamic sector of our local economy.
It provides large employment opportunities assuring more equitable distribution
of local income and wealth thereby contributing enormously to the
socio-economic development of our country.
In the Ilonggo
economy, where many communities are characterized by serious unemployment
problem, small-scale and cottage industries are emphasized. Cottage industry is
one which is carried on wholly or primarily with the help of the members of the
family, while small-scale industry employs hired labour.
Our small-scale and
cottage industries occupy an important place because it provides sustainable
employment especially to our rural artisans and our local Government has taken
a number of steps to promote them. It has been observed that various
communities have gone long strides in this field.
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| bolo-making in Barangay Bingawan, Badiangan, Iloilo |
Pagpamanday or
bolo-making continues to remain a relevant symbol of the people In the remote
barangay of Bingawan in Badiangan, Iloilo.
It is the town’s most popular backyard industry and several kinds of
bolo along with its specific uses are produced, namely: (1) Binakuko for
chopping wood; (2) Sinuwak for carpentry and cutting shrubs and smaller trees;
(3) Ginunting having the same function as the Sinuwak; Pinuti for slicing meat;
(4) Tangkap for kitchen use; (5) Linamay, Surot, and Balintawak are used in
gardening; (6) Kayog is used to harvest rice; and (7) Wasay used to chop lumber
and bigger trees. Bolos are made by hand with blades made from recycled steel.
The handle is usually made from hard wood found in the area. A day is spent in
producing a single bolo. The men are doing all the hard labour such as the
forming of the metal, while the women are the ones doing the hasiwas or the
pumping of bamboo implements inserted to the metal pipes to produce the air
needed to continuously heat to the coal that is used to shape the metal.
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| loom-weaving in Barangay Indag-an, Miagao, Iloilo |
Panghabol or weaving
has been a part of the culture of Miagao, Iloilo. It is one of the most
important crafts handed down from generation.
It is a livelihood program where the ancient craft of hand-weaving, along
with hand-spinning, remains a popular in many barangays up to this day. The
town has a small industrial sector, dominated by artisan production and small
home-based businesses specifically in hand-loomed fabrics such as Patadyong,
Polyabaca and Hablon. These fabrics are mostly of cotton with relatively small
quantities of rayon, and polyester cotton. And these hand-made textiles have
been able to compete successfully with machine made fabrics. Weaving is done
using two sets of threads interlaced; the warp which is run lengthways, and the
weft that runs across one end to the other. The fabric is woven on a wooden
loom, a device that holds the warp threads in place while filling threads are
woven through them.
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| nito weaving in Sitio Ngpana, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo |
Nito-weaving in
Sitio Nagpana, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo is a popular backyard industry where
viitors to the area can gain a better understanding and appreciation of its
Aboriginal culture. Nito is a type of vine that grows clinging on trees and
rocks. To use the vine, it must be gathered and then expose to sunlight to dry.
As an art material, it does not need to be treated by soaking, scraping or
hacking processes to enhance its natural beauty and color. The elements are
mostly flat flexible strips popular for in matting. The weavers of Nagpana uses
nito to produce beautiful baskets, hats, bags, coin purses, coasters,
placemats, bracelets and even rings. Nito weaving is this community’s primary
means of increasing their income. In fact, they organized themselves as The
Nagpana Nito Weavers Group that was established in 2005.
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| shell-craft making in Barangay Cagbang, Oton, Iloilo |
Barangay Cagbang in
Oton, Iloilo is a center for the producing quality shell craft products that
will make that perfect holiday souvenir. Visitors can choose from a wide range
of hand-crafted shell fashion accessories, curtains, jewelry boxes, lamp
shades, candle holder, picture frames, table decors and many other items all
handcrafted and made of natural shell component and materials. Oton’s
shell-craft industry has metamorphosed into one of Iloilo’s top pasalubong
items.
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| traditional pottery in Barangays Jibao-an and Pandac in Pavia, Iloilo |
Pik – Pik Koron, the
century-old style of pottery is still being practised in Barangays Pandac and
Jibao-an in Pavia, Iloilo. Pottery
makers made pots or coron, firewood-fired stoves or sig-ang, drinking jars or
banga and water containers or tadyaw using the open pit firing method. The soil
sub-stratum in the barangays mentioned is best suited for pottery-making thus,
pottery-making became the livelihood of many in the area.
Small Scale
Industries act as an essential medium for the efficient utilization of such
skills as well as resources available locally. These small scale Industries
have helped the various sections of the Ilonggo society especially our local
artisans to hone their skills to continue the tradition. Though the art of
making these local products has changed over the years, and the process has
been modernized in some ways, things have remained constant down the
generations: the passion of local artisans showing for their craft and the hard
work they commit to it.
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