The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently conducted a two -day training for Tagbanwa women in Narra, Palawan to revive and enhance their heritage products and promote the same in wider markets.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Conrado Guevarra said the training activity, dubbed as “Enhancement Training on Handicraft Making,”  is in preparation for the establishment of a Pasalubong Center in Barangay Estrella Village, an agrarian reform community (ARC) in Narra town. The participants to the training were chosen from among the women weavers with basic knowledge in handicraft making. 

The Pasalubong Center, made possible through the effort and funding of the Municipal Tourism Office of Narra, is a potential market for local products, which are big attractions to tourists and balikbayans visiting  Estrella Falls in Barangay Estrella.

Estrella Falls is a tourists’ destination in Narra because of its cool and clean water. It is consistently recognized as the “Cleanest Inland Body of Water in the regional level.”

“The 21 participants, mostly wife of farmer-beneficiaries, were introduced to Salimbawa or Crazy Weaving, a new and unique way of buri/pandan weaving. The training is expected to help Tagbanwa people gain additional source of livelihood through selling of handicraft products,” Guevarra said.

The training, which was jointly initiated by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the local government of Narra,  in partnership with the non-government organization (NGO) implementing the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) Programme, was conducted by three (3) elderly members of the tribal association who are experts in weaving.