Weaving with passion, growing skills with Banig

Mat weaving from the wild grass “tikog” and buri leaves from wild palm trees is a Basey cultural heritage that existed even before the Spanish arrival in the Philippines.

“Banigan” was once a past time and livelihood that produced sleeping mats and eventually, other products like bags and decors. But with Supertyphoon “Yolanda” badly affecting it, a group of mat weavers organized themselves in August 2014 into the Basey Association for Native Industry Growth, Inc. (Banig Inc.). At the height of the recovery period, many humanitarian agencies and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) provided assistance to the group which was, however, shortlived.

Fast forward to September 2022, when the International Labour Organization and United Kingdom chose Banig Inc. as beneficiary NGO for their Region VIII pilot implementation of a model on inclusive, area-based lifelong learning, with particular focus on tikog and buri production and processing.

The pilot project was a great revelation and turned a once-stagnant and backyard livelihood for women into a whole industry revolving around tikog and buri. It was designed to create a collaborative effort among stakeholders, including government agencies and NGOs, as spearheaded by Technical Education And Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and in close coordination with Basey’s local government and the provincial government of Samar. Banig Inc. currently holds the baton for project implementation.

The pilot project aims to transform the intricate value chain of using tikog/buri which is composed of 24 steps, into six skills training modules with 13 units of competency standards. Also included is the conceptualization of a curriculum and the development of learning materials and assessment tools for planting, drying, dyeing, weaving, designing, embroidering, and packaging. The skills training development addresses the following challenges: 1) scarcity of supply of tikog materials; 2) an aging weaver population; 3) the lack of appeal of weaving among the youth; 4) the labor-intensive methods; and 5) poor product quality.

Already, we have completed the competency learning modules, with short training courses to be offered by the Department of Education, Tesda (Basey Manpower Training Center), and the Samar State University to K-12 and college students who cannot afford formal degree courses, and to marginalized sectors. We hope that, in the long run, weavers will be “professionalized” with increased opportunities for employment and even new business ventures.

As this pilot project ends, we have also formulated a strategy for continued growth: the local government of Basey will assist newly trained and existing weavers, while Banig Inc. members will be organized into an enterprise cooperative. The involved agencies, like the departments of trade and industry, labor and employment, science and technology, and the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, will continue supporting the tikog industry. Samar’s provincial government will provide a market for the products through the “Lara” program which promotes Basey municipality as the new Banig capital of the Philippines.

Much still needs to be done, and the story of Banig, Inc. is far from over. While we had help from international entities and NGOs, we recognize that this is an exception rather than the rule. We need more laws that give more incentives and privileges to help industries like ours prosper and flourish. We also recognize that this is a multistakeholder effort: If we are to achieve our goals, we need a helping hand from local governments, national agencies, industry groups, and other organizations.

These are just some of the lessons we learned during the consultation session with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EdCom II) in Cebu City. Sharing the stage with other Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) providers, we also learned of their own struggles and challenges, especially in dispelling the myth that technical education leads to a less prosperous life than the traditional career path.

We must encourage students to take up new opportunities in TVET to give them skills that will not only equip them for employment, but also encourage local industries to grow and develop. White-collar jobs are not for everyone, and a developing nation like ours needs more technically skilled workers to build a stronger, more robust, and more inclusive economy.

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Manuel Orejola is project facilitator for Basey Association for Native Industry Growth, Inc. (Banig Inc.), one of the organizations consulted by EdCom II in its mission to assess and review the education system of the country.