BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (November 2)—A five-day basic handloom weaving training was held recently in Barangay (village) Runruno here to upgrade weavers’ technology knowledge and skills last week.
The activity was led by the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST)- Central office in collaboration with FCF Minerals Corporation-Community Relations Department, Department of Trade and Industry, through the initiative of Barangay Local Government of Runruno.
According to FCF minerals, the training was attended by at least six members of the Abel RIPO, an offshoot of the Runruno Indigenous Peoples’ Organization (Ripo) along with the 11 prospective new weavers, mostly middle-aged women and some male youth in Barangay Runruno here from October 24 to 28.
FCF said the training aims to upgrade the participants’ technology knowledge and skills from backstrap to handloom weaving and innovate and develop new woven products incorporating modern designs to meet market demands.
DoST Provincial Director Jonathan Nuestro said that as a developing business, the participants should know their customers’ requirements and preferences such as quality of the products, affordability of the product and design.
Nuestro also pointed out that the quality will determine the price of the product.
Meanwhile, Ferlita Erasquin, one of the trainees expressed thanks for the opportunity given to them to attend the skills training.
Erasquin said being an alternative learning system literacy facilitator, she knows that her work as a teacher has to end because the funding of the program that comes from FCF Minerals Corp will not last.
“But because I have learned how to weave, I can join the group of weavers and this could be my livelihood when the company finishes its mining activities in our village,” she said.
The training was spearheaded by Josefa Garlitos, Senior Science Research Specialist; Melody Laxamana, Science Research Analyst; and Irwin Gonzales, Science Research Specialist, all of of PTRI.
Also at the training were Adrianne Joy Perez, Project Assistant (PA) of Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center and Lhea Lee Galap, PA of Provincial Science and Technology Office-Nueva Vizcaya.