WHILE the National Arts and Crafts Fair ended yesterday, after its run from Oct. 23 to 27, it left a lot to think about.

There were 287 exhibitors at SM Megamall’s Megatrade Halls 1 through 3, showing off things like Schools of Living Traditions for indigenous peoples. These community-managed centers serve as cultural hubs where indigenous groups teach their younger generations the traditional skills and crafts of their forebears. Among these finds are crystals, herbs, and spices from the Ati community of Negros, as well as woven products from the Dumagat Remontado people of Rizal. There were also booths in tribute to Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan  Awardees: master artisans recognized by the Philippine government for their exceptional contributions to the preservation of traditional arts. These include works by their apprentices, such as outfits made from weaving techniques taught by Magdalena Gamayo, master weaver of inabel.

Woven products from various regions were also on display: there were native fabrics from the Negros 9 Kabankalan Weaving Community, as well as baskets and related crafts from the Palawan Tagbanwa community. There were several outfits available from Angie’s Yakan and Handloom Weaving and Ilocanknows Classics Consumer Goods Trading, though we settled on a jacket from Tinguian Artisans Arts and Crafts, all the way from Abra.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), organizers of the fair, has been aggressive recently in promoting local crafts through these fairs, with BusinessWorld attending one iteration about once every month in the last quarter. DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque said in a speech on Oct. 23, “DTI’s mission is simple: to create more opportunities for our MSMEs (micro, small to medium enterprises) to shine. This is why we’re hosting numerous trade fairs across the country.”

In an interview with BusinessWorld, she said, “We’re very aggressive in promoting MSMEs, because this is mandated by our president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos: to help and support MSMEs as strong and as best as we can.”

In a speech at the fair’s opening, she said, “MSMEs are the heart of everything that we do. They make up 99.5% of the business establishments and 60% of the labor force. They are not just the backbone of our economy: they are the heartbeat of our community, the lifeblood of inclusive growth, and the foundation of a better future for our nation.”

Herself a founder of a former MSME that has since flourished (clothing brand Kamiseta), Ms. Aldeguer-Roque told BusinessWorld about what Filipino MSMEs are really good at: “Filipinos are really good at the food industry, and also fashion; they’re also very good at crafts. Now, because of our First Lady (Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos) really pushing for the preservation of the weavers, then we really get to preserve our culture and heritage.” — Joseph L. Garcia