Helping Ifugao Rice Terraces weavers develop sustainable crafts

Two months before the exchange visit of the Italians in charge of the World Heritage Site (WHS) of Cinque Terre of Italy, Cora Cares Foundation started Phase 1 of the Hungduan Handbag Making Workshop with ten Ifugao weavers from Hungduan.

Earlier in the year, Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr., Hungduan Mayor Pablo Cuhayon, Architect Joy Mananghaya and I visited this major tourist spot of five vineyard villages of Cinque Terre near Genoa, Italy. This study tour was offered by the Italian government when Professor Mariolina Besio (University of Genoa), who attended the WHS conference in Banawe, saw the cultural, sociological and economic similarities of the Rice Terraces and the vineyards of Cinque Terre. She felt that Italy and the Philippines could share valuable experiences in conserving the World Heritage Sites. 

In 1995, both sites acknowledged “outstanding example of living cultural landscape” were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However in 2001, UNESCO, citing deficiencies in the conservation plans and deterioration of the rice terraces, placed it on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Cora Jacob comes to the rescue

Behind the scene of her colorful world-class handbags lies the story of how Atty. Cora Jacob has cared to improve the economic status of underprivileged women in the Philippines and developing countries.

Atty. Jacob is also one of the most sought after speakers in the international fora regarding craft and development. Last year, she was invited to lecture in the Netherlands at the Passenmuseum Hendrikjen, the only bag museum in the world. European television covered extensively her bag display, which made use of Philippine materials, leather-tooled materials, giant pearl shells, fine buntal woven fabric, among others.

Cora Cares Foundation

This is the 40th year of Atty. Cora Jacob’s bag-making enterprise. The Cora Cares Foundation (CCFI) is a non-profit developmental organization focused on working with the poor, often rural artisan groups to foster artistic tradition, sustainable livelihood and creation of creative communities. Guided by its founding president, Atty. Jacob, the foundation has launched numerous projects in several Asian countries, such as Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore.

In the Philippines, NGO’s and local government units (LGUs) of Surigao, Northern Samar, Sorsogon, and Albay have funded these handbag making projects. Funded by the European Union, she also worked with two international craftsmen who stayed in the Philippines to train Filipino artisans, six of whom are her professional trainors. She pioneered the Philippine Export of craft to international markets. 

Hungduan mayor invites CCFI to survey local weavers

Cora Jacob personally visits the site staying a week or more to check the locally available materials. Hungduan is one of the four municipalities where the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Ifugao Rice Terraces are situated. (The others are in the municipalities of Banawe, Mayoyao, and Kiangan.) Most of the Ifugao carvers which include Mayor Cuhayon live there. The mayor led a team of carvers to set up an exhibit in the lobby of the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2007 and 2008 Christmas time.

Funds raised from the annual OB Montessori Broadway spectacle started the project. As UNESCO Secretary General promoting the conservation of the Ifugao Rice Terraces, I introduced Mayor Pablo Cuhayon to Atty. Cora Jacob.

In most projects, CCFI starts with an invitation by a state or local government unit to visit the area from which the training is needed. Thus, Mayor Cuhayon arranged the visits and stay of Atty. Jacob, including CCFI board member Belen King and assistants, to his municipality. The trip entailed seven hours on the road from Manila plus two more hours between Banawe and Hungduan.

CCFI findings

This is the official CCFI findings: “Several trips were done by Mrs. Jacob and her team to assess the viability of the project and to introduce the mentoring concept of training in Hungduan. Prospective applicants were screened and interviewed to find out what skills they have.” Out of 30 weavers, ten were chosen as the first trainees.

“The skill of the artisan can be appreciated within the traditional and cultural boundaries of the Ifugao culture. Back strap and loom weavers were visited to see the type of weaving available in the area. Woodcarvers were also visited to see the type of weaving available in the area. Woodcarvers were also visited to see the possibilities of using wood carved accessories to complement in the designing of handbags.”

“Materials used are considered low quality and are limited to what can be purchased in Baguio in terms of thread and yarns used by the weavers. The predominant materials outsourced are polyester and cotton blend threads. The looms are locally manufactured using wood found in the area. There are no high-speed sewing machines in the locality.”

“Woodcarvers use their own handheld tools with no machines to help polish or smoothen the finished products. Most carvers sell their products to middle men who do the final finishing and treatment of the products. Training of the people was limited to weavers and woodcarvers who were taught by their ancestors, which are passed on from generation to generation.”

Ideally this type of project consultancy extends from six months to one year given the breadth and scope of the product development, skills transfer and marketing assistance. However in the case of Hungduan, this project was done for a period of three months.

The curriculum

Considered the second phase, the selected Hungduan weavers underwent an intensive training program in making handbags and table accessories at the CCFI school in Meycauayan, Bulacan for two months. Their large looms had to be brought down from Hungduan to the Meycauayan craft school. Enough yarns, lining, and leatherettes for combination were purchased so that each lady could do seven bags for each of the ten designs.

The trainees learned the history and origins of handbags, as well as the different steps in handbag construction: identification of the different materials; pattern making; cutting and measuring of raw materials; preparation of accessories; gluing / folding and preparation of the different bag components; assembly of the bag, sewing components and lining; attachment of the zipper, attachment of the body to the lining and handles and other accessories, as well as attachments of enclosures; finishing and quality control. 

This was concluded with graduation held last November 11. Cora Jacob was so impressed by the Ifugao weavers’ enthusiasm. They were working until late at night and even during weekends. 

Purchasing, costing, accounting, and quality control

The training in Purchasing, Costing, and Accounting is currently on-going at the new Hungduan Training Center. The UNESCO NatCom Culture Committee helped cover the cost, together with Mayor Cuhayon. Since the funds were insufficient, less trainees could be accommodated – below the target CCFI set.  

This training will be the reintegration of the graduates into the community with the support of the CCFI trainors. The ten trained weavers will echo the training to the Banawe weavers.

The project cost of P1.5 million is inclusive of training cost, materials and accessories, tools and training kit, as well as professional fees of six trainors, and two sewing machines. Choices have to be made between the German-made high-speed sewing machines costing P150,000 each, while the Taiwan-made is P50,000. two types of high-speed sewing machines are needed: the “flat-bed” type used for straight sewing and the “cylinder” type used for bag assembly. For piping or binding operations, the “cylinder bed compound feed heavy duty locksmith” sewing machine is needed.

Mayor Cuhayon had difficulties raising money so he chose the latter and a second-hand sewing machine. The Samar project fully backed by Governor Daza makes use of the German sewing machine. It has now grown into an industry.

By March, the bags that they produce, together with Ifugao woodcarvings will be sold at the DFA lobby. The proceeds of the sale will be rolled over to purchase materials to produce more bags. This will be the start of the sustainability of the project.

E-8 donation of the Kiangan Mini-Hydro Power Generation

The official turn-over of the mini-hydro power generator at the Ambangal River will be held at a ceremony tomorrow, Friday, 22 January at the Manila Peninsula Hotel. This will create 1,450 megawatt hours, meeting 18% of the province’s electric needs that will secure sustainable source of reserve to support its programs on terrace conservation using the income generated by the sale of electricity.

More craftsmen, including weavers and bag makers, can be trained in inaccessible mountain areas of Ifugao which the new electric power can reach. In the long-term objective, tourism projects can be professionally completed to remove the Ifugao Rice Terraces from the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.

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