Start of a Bright Future

 

             The center’s first production schedule for 60 rolls of raffia fabric for the Natural Component Product (NCP) Trading Corp. was started in May 2004.   This means a P12,000 labor cost, which is more than enough to make the seven weavers busy for the next 30 days.  Ten pieces of bag samples were shipped to Denmark.  The cooperative participated as one of the exhibitors at the Agri-fair in Mega Trade on June 7-12, 2004 sponsored by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Ms. Doroy was able to close an order for 100 rolls x 10 yard raffia fabric per week or whatever they could produce with the existing resources.  Excited to produce and very confident, the group did not take long to deliver the fabric with the desired quality.

A Revelation

         As trainers, we have had experiences with weavers in different areas of the country.  Our encounter with Hinugusan ARCMPCI weavers was a revelation. Eight weavers worked in the center.  Only four belonged to the core group initially trained by PTRI while Ms. Doroy trained the rest.  The eight weavers were, surprisingly, the ones who were living comfortably in terms of rural standards.  They had other sources of income and did not need to depend on the income earned from the center for survival.  Their families had refrigerators, television sets, CD players, and even cellular phones.  Most of them owned productive agricultural lands and cattle; one of them was engaged in renting out fishing nets.  So why did they persevere while others just watched and waited?  The answer was personal values.  They had dreams.  These persevering women took pride in their work.   

         There were four weavers in the center when we had this interview.  All were plain housewives and their ages ranged from 45 to 55.  Each had her own story to tell.  The interview with them was very revealing.  We could sense that they enjoyed what they were doing and they seemed to be one happy family.  We, as working mothers, admired them for having their children sent through college. Though they had other sources of income, we believed they had to sacrifice some important needs in favor of their children’s education.  No wonder they enjoyed being at the center. They found self-fulfillment in acquiring small indulgence without upsetting their household budget, as best exemplified by Lydia Salvador and Nani Doroy.

Mrs. Salvador has four children. The eldest, an electronics and communications engineering graduate, is followed by a second year college student, then a high school student and a Grade IV pupil. The family owns a 5-hectare land producing coconut and banana. Her husband is a fisherman and rents out fishing net. One of her dreams is to acquire a weighing scale.

 “It has been my dream to acquire a weighing scale. But my priority is our daily needs such as baon, rice, power, etc.  I have to borrow the weighing scale of my kumare; ‘nahihiya na nga ako’.  Finally, from this weaving I now have my own and also some small household items such as water jug, plates, glasses, etc. One has to dream and work for it.  My next dream is a washing machine.  This is considered a luxury here in Hinugusan.  I am sure I can have this through weaving,” Lydia said.

Mrs. Doroy, a sister-in-law of Natividad Doroy, is the barangay secretary/treasurer. She has five children, two of whom are working in Manila together with their tailor husbands. She proudly shows her eyeglasses, bought out of her first income. “I had my eyeglasses changed into a more expensive one. All my earnings from weaving I saved, then when it is big enough, I think of what to buy, a washing machine or a tricycle, who knows?”

The frail Aling Noli Doroy has eight children by her barangay tanod husband. It was amazing to note that with their income from one-half hectare farm planted to corn and cassava they are able to send one of their four children to college, two to high school, and two in the elementary. At first, Aling Noli preferred to be with her husband when he tends their farm, rather than weave. However, upon developing her weaving skills, four meters a day of raffia fabric come easy for this frail lady. She goes to the center when demand calls for it. For her first production for NCP Corporation she managed to produce 20 yards of raffia in one week.

Though her expertise is bag making, Mila Roya also weaves when there is no order for bag. Mila, still an inexperienced weaver, is an epitome of a patient and persevering lady. Inspite of the problems encountered in the loom, like incorrect knotting of raffia tinagak or knotted raffia fibers that cause constant breakage of warp, she manages to complete five yards of fiber in eight days. She weaves in the center, producing raffia rolls for NCP.