Introduction
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your interest in Philippine indigenous fabrics. As you know the Philippines has a wealth of handmade textiles that are a heritage and tradition as well as a craft and a livelihood in numerous rural communities of the country.
The Philippines among many fabrics that it produces is home of the world-renowned piña cloth made from pineapple fiber even in prehistoric times. It also has the abaca tinalak which is a unique hemp cloth with magical designs that the weaver who makes it creates from a dream. Another native fabric is the inabel, made of cotton, from northern Luzon. It was used a sailcloth by the Manila galleons that sailed to Acapulco for hundreds of years. There is too the hablon and patadyong cloth from the Western Visayas and the colorful Mindanao weaves.
All of the above are worth advocating for by developing and sustaining them through providing a market which in turn will provide livelihoods.
This is one of the missions that our intended textile association will undertake. It will also undertake many other activities in the promotion of Philippine textiles including education, fostering new designs and new uses.
The ASEAN region is doing the same for their own textiles and we have connected with their various textile societies and craft associations to be in tune with the upgrading of the indigenous fabric industries in our region.
We welcome you to be part of this eminently useful and fulfulling mission.
Sincerely,
Maria Isabel G. Ongpin
Co-Chair, ASEAN Traditional Textiles Symposium 2009
Ex-officio Director, Museum Foundation of the Philippines
