CAR looms as silver jewelry center of RP

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), particularly Baguio City, has the potential of becoming the silver jewelry center in northern Luzon.

There are a number of reasons to boost such optimistic outlook.

For one, the Cordillera has several silvercraft enterprises, vast precious metal resources, access to suppliers of supplemental resources such as silver alloys and gemstones, and sustained foreign and domestic jewelry markets.

No less than Science and Technology Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro has taken cognizance of these indicators during the annual review of the S&T developments in the region not long ago.

The review was attended by officials and staff members of the six provincial offices of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-CAR headed by Dr. Ben D. Ladilad, regional director.

Some of the silver jewelry enterprises in the region are provided technical support from DOST.

Alabastro commended DOST-CAR, particularly Dr. Ladilad, for extending assistance to the gifts, toys and housewares (GTH) cluster of industries to which silver jewelry production belongs.

"The assistance must be continuing until a significant impact will be tangible; provided, however, that such assistance must be technology-based and demand-driven and that the production process must be private sector-led," the Cabinet official said, as reported by James W. Macasieb of DOST-CAR.

Corollarily, the silvercraft industry in the northern Luzon highlands must generate more productive employment and income.

This, therefore, has emerged as the common goal of a continuing assistance or investment from DOST’s regional and provincial offices.