Feature:

Supporting Panay Products

By Pepin

Panayanons are creative craftsmen. No doubt about that. They create and sell almost anything – from woven handbags to mango wines. A visitor from England was even surprised to witness how people from Panay can create eye-catching and durable items from indigenous materials.

In the different regions of Panay, local goods are given greater attention by the government. In fact, each town is given an opportunity to promote their own product through the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In this program, the town is required to set up a livelihood and produce goods in which people can identify them with. For example, the town of Dueñas, Iloilo promotes loom weaving. Their products include Hablon gown, throw pillow cases, table runners, shawls, and floor runners. Passi City, on the other hand, is known for their herbal oils and exotic wines, while the Municipality of Ibajay, Aklan is getting famous for being one of the largest producers of virgin coconut oil in the region.

Some other OTOP products from Panay are the following:

Kalibo, Aklan – Pinya (Pineapple) Silk

Hamtic, Antique – Colored Buri Gift Bag

Jordan, Guimaras – Dried Mangoes

Roxas City, Capiz – Cocoshell Accessories

Maasin, Iloilo – Bamboo Furniture

Aside from adopting the DTI project, every Municipal government also funds local craftsmen and organizes programs for small businessmen that provide skills training, product-design development, and capability building.

To top it all, each town established a souvenir shop or better known as “Pasalubong Center”, where they can put up for sale their native goods for the visiting tourists. Oton, Iloilo, for example, started the United Producers Association of Oton, and opened a souvenir shop that exclusively sells “Ogtonganon” products, such as lampshades and accessories.

Panay Products are becoming distinctive nowadays. In no time, these local goods will be known by more and more people, and Panay craftsmen will be distinguished as some of the world’s best.