From the humble looms of Kabankalan to pillow cases used in high-end resorts like Manami, and as fabric in fashion lines across the country, local weavers showcase their artistry, putting the city on the national map.
In Sitio Jalandoni, Oringao village, a group of women received training in weaving from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2011, laying the foundation for what is now known as the Oringao Abaca Handloom Weavers Association (OAHWA).
After honing their skills, they formally organized OAHWA in 2012. The group once had thirty (30) members; today, only four artisans keep the craft alive.
Among them, 48-year-old Jessa Montuerto and 47-year-old Lizel Nobis carry the skills forward with determination and pride.
Montuerto and Nobis began their weaving journey inside an old day care center — once a place where children learned their ABCs, now a space where threads, colors, and patterns are woven together to keep the weaving industry alive.
Montuerto, who worked at the city hall when she was trained but just embraced the craft full-time almost two years ago.
She knows the group’s story by heart and remembers how they started simply as women eager to learn a skill that would later shape their community’s identity.
Three years after they were organized, the group secured a Shared Services Facility (SSF) grant from the DTI that supplied 12 looms and eight high-speed sewing machines.
Montuerto said that craft demands precision, patience, and long hours to insert each thread into the loom. But they persevered and improved their earnings over time, attracting customers like Manami Resort in Sipalay City and Michael Claparols, the Negrense entrepreneur behind Creative Definitions and the proudly Negros-made Lakat Shoes.
Persistence
Although orders sometimes fluctuate, the weavers continue producing fabrics in anticipation of potential buyers, including walk-in visitors.
For Nobis, a master weaver, those early years meant enduring low income before persistence and finally yielded results.
Recognition grew when well-known personalities and institutions noticed their craftsmanship, she said.
Today, OAHWA produces fabrics mainly on a made-to-order basis. They charge P600 per meter inclusive of materials and labor, or P350 per meter for labor only when customers supply their materials.
They spend about two days preparing a loom, and a full-time weaver can complete a 10-meter fabric within a week, Nobis said.
Despite their growing reputation, the weavers worry about the craft’s future. Few young people in the community show interest in learning the skill, leaving its continuation uncertain.
This situation contrasts with the Central Philippines State University–Main Campus, where young weavers supervised by the Office of Research and Extension help in keeping the craft alive.
Montuerto and Nobis believe that anyone who ventures into the craft must love it and stay determined, as losing either will lead to losing interest.
They draw their greatest motivation from seeing their creations worn with pride, inspiring them to weave on with passion and dedication, the weavers said.
They added that they feel honored that tourism officers from other provinces, like Antique, and various local government units in Negros Occidental have contacted them for weaving projects.
In the city, three groups continue to keep the local weaving industry alive: the Negros 9 Weavers, co-founded by the late Columban priest Brian Gore; the weaving group at CPSU; and the OAHWA.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a personal blog on Medium.