WINNING PRODUCT. The set of bamboo utensils in a buri pouch won as the best eco-luxury homestyle during the Panublion Trade Fair in Sm City, Iloilo. The utensils were made by the Sibalom Bamboo Craft Makers Association. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique --Two products from the province of Antique were adjudged to be the best during the five-day Panublion Trade Fair held at SM City in Iloilo City.
Iris Ellaine Gail Dingcong, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Antique provincial officer, in an interview Wednesday said that the table utensils made of bamboo materials won as the best eco-luxury homestyle while the buri shoulder bag won as the best eco-luxury fashion and wearables during the contest of the trade fair which wrapped up on November 17.
The table utensils were made by the Sibalom Bamboo Craft Makers Association and the shoulder bag was made by the United Group of Weavers.
She said micro small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) from the different provinces of Western Visayas participated in the DTI Regional Office 6-organized Punublion Trade Fair.
“I am inspired by the outcome of my newly innovated table utensils made of bamboo,” said Isaias Fabillo, head of the Sibalom Bamboo Craft Makers Association based in Barangay Villafont, Sibalom in a separate interview.
“I make spoon, fork and table knife which I put inside a buri pouch,” he said. The utensils are easy to carry and durable.
He added that the materials for each set of utensils cost PHP100 while the buri pouch costs about PHP50.
“The selling price of a set of utensils with pouch is PHP250,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jhon Wilson Hernaez of the United Group of Weavers said the buri shoulder bag is a product of their creativity and the technical assistance they received from the DTI-Antique.
“DTI has taught us a good color combination to make our product more attractive,” he said.
Buri is also abundant in the mountainous area of Anini-y town, Hernaez added.
They were able to buy a bundle of it for only PHP200 and that it could already make several shoulder bags. “The judge could have chosen our entry because it is purely made of natural material,” he said.
He said that the selling price of a shoulder bag is PHP350 each.
Aside from the shoulder bag, the United Group of Weavers, composed of 40 members mostly beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya, is also into the making of shoeboxes and mats for their livelihood.
They received the awards during the closing ceremony of the trade fair last Saturday. (PNA)
