GK residents use discarded tarps for eco-friendly livelihood

CEBU, Philippines - A pioneering recycling project is now underway to help maximize the income of residents of a Gawad Kalinga village in Barangay Sooc of Arevalo District in this city.

The initiative, also known as Project Zero, pushes for zero unemployment and zero carbon emission in the community where residents make billboard and banner tarpaulin materials into school bags, hand bags and tents.

For this undertaking, Smart Communications partnered with GKonomics, PBSP and internationally-renowned designer PJ Aranador to help GK residents design and create more useful and marketable tarpaulin products.

"We will create green products since carbon-emission rate will be zero," said PJ Aranador, a native of Iloilo City, who accepted the invitation, despite his hectic schedule, to help the Sooc residents in their innovative means of livelihood.

Aranador said he wanted to give back to the community. "I need to serve my kasimanwa." By doing so, he also struck a balance between using design to create a business for a community and to develop a sense of pride for the Filipinos as a creative race.

The designer gathered 40 men and women, young and old, for training on weaving techniques. The participants did hands-on sessions on forms and shapes.

"I wanted them to translate these forms and shapes into utilitarian objects, like trays, basket lamp shades, placemats and many others," Aranador explained.

Being an advocate of simple yet functional designs that are loaded with cultural references and a sense of origin, Aranador wanted to anchor the Sooc project on the theme "Culture Heritage Environment Arts." 

The design scheme involves the interpretation of traditional and even mythical design motifs into contemporary works of art. This means that the designers could incorporate underwater creatures in Filipino myths or the architecture of antillan houses built in Iloilo during the Spanish occupation into their designs.

This time, the residents will go beyond fashion accessories and into what he calls 'horizontal product diversification' - which means still using the tarpaulin materials but generating new products.

Aranador was pleased with the initial outcome, saying that the participants delivered "fantastic results in three days." He hoped the residents would be able to discover more what their hands can do. "I can see the bayanihan community spirit emerging," he said.

At present, trainings are being lined up to help the residents further develop creative design abilities and enhance their sewing and weaving skills. "At the same time, the villagers are hoping for quality control, marketing and branding mechanisms so that they can produce for the market early next year," said Herminia Pineda, vice president of Kabitbahayan, the PLDT-Smart Amazing GK Village of 67 households with about 400 members.  Contributed Article