Kalinga PLGU supports loom weaving in Tabuk, grants P.5M to Biga Laggunawa Weavers Association

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Loom weavers’ group in Tabuk City can now acquire their additional weaving materials after recently being granted P500,000 in financial assistance by the provincial government of Kalinga led by Governor James Edduba.

Said assistance was extended to the recipients during the interagency flag-raising ceremony at the Kalinga Sports Center on Monday, January 6, 2025, all of whom were from the Biga Laggunawa Weavers Association.

The Biga Laggunawa Weavers Association comprised mainly women from Barangay Amlao, Balawag, and Suyang in Tabuk City, as cited by the Philippine Information Agency Kalinga.

The group has been organized by the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk-Social Action Center (AVT-SAC) under its Green Luzon Project, a project that brings together Caritas Philippines, dioceses, and international partners to empower communities.

During the turnover of the aid, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Kalinga Flordeliza Moldero explained that the provision of the assistance aligns with the PLGU’s thrust to provide inclusive social services, particularly to marginalized sectors such as women and children.

Prior to the provision of the aid, the weavers underwent basic loom frame weaving training in August 2024. The Department of Trade and Industry-Kalinga and the Department of Science and Technology-Kalinga supported the training, providing the weavers with foundational skills for the venture.

Meanwhile, AVT-SAC Director and Green Luzon Project Coordinator Father Jeorge Manisem expressed gratitude to the PLGU and Governor Edduba for the support given, saying the financial aid shall be used to procure loom frames, a basic weaving tool for creating woven designs.

"Thank you very much, Apo Gov and the PLGU family, for this cash assistance. This will be used to procure loom frames," Manisem said.

Such aid from the provincial government will indeed be a fundamental step toward achieving sustainable livelihoods and enhancing Kalinga's rich cultural heritage in weaving.

In backing such projects, the provincial government once again showed its commitment toward inclusive development as well as supporting local communities for empowerment.