By Connie Calipay
LEGAZPI CITY – For weaver Ailyn Mirafuentes, “pinukpok” is more than a traditional fabric made from abaca. It is a source of income for her family, and a skill she hopes will continue to find a market.
Mirafuentes, 35, has been weaving in the Banquerohan Resettlement area since 2016.
She is among six weavers working with Beth Handicrafts Manufacturing, producing pinukpok for local designers and other buyers.
“This is a big help because this is one of our sources of income for our daily needs. We are also able to help our families,” Mirafuentes said.
The fabric is getting a wider platform in contemporary fashion as local designers, weavers, government, and students work to promote the Bicol-made textile and the communities behind its production.
The “Pinukpok: From Fiber to Fashion” event, organized by Kutur Ni Jean, opened at SM City Legazpi on Tuesday and runs through Saturday.
The five-day event features an exhibit, live weaving demonstrations, a terno-sleeve workshop, a six-hour Filipiniana-making competition, and a culminating fashion show featuring children’s, men’s, and women’s collections.
Kutur Ni Jean founder and designer Jean Alta said the event aims to give local weavers and young creatives a platform while demonstrating the potential of Bicol-made materials in the fashion industry.
“This platform is always, we hope, to celebrate our weavers and our young creatives, our young dreamers, and, of course, to show that something made here in Bicol can also shine in the world of fashion,” she said.
Alta has sourced pinukpok from weavers in Banquerohan for 11 years. Over time, she said, her appreciation for the fabric has grown beyond its quality and appearance to include the people whose livelihoods depend on making it.
“I want to support local fabrics and local products,” she said.
From abaca to the runway
Pinukpok, made from the fibers of the abaca plant (Musa textilis), is traditionally produced by pounding or flattening the fibers to create a distinctive textile.
Its use in contemporary clothing is giving local designers another way to showcase a material rooted in Bicol’s agricultural and cultural heritage.
Legazpi City Mayor Hisham Ismail said promoting pinukpok can strengthen the city’s cultural and tourism identity while creating opportunities for artisans, entrepreneurs, and members of the creative industry.
“Pinukpok is a journey of a local material from the hands of our local artisans through creativity and craftsmanship into something wearable, appreciated, and proudly associated with Bicol,” Ismail said.
He said preserving culture does not require keeping traditions unchanged, but allowing them to evolve and remain relevant to succeeding generations.
The city government promotes pinukpok through tourism activities and encourages residents and visitors to use locally made products.
“We have to promote it. The most important thing is to promote it because no matter how much you buy, if you do not promote it, the help you provide will be very limited,” Ismail said.
Ismail said he has worn a pinukpok barong for four years, citing the fabric’s durability and its connection to Legazpi.
Passing the craft forward
The initiative also brings students into the effort to promote the textile and explore its possibilities in modern clothing.
Justin Mirabillo, a second-year Bachelor of Technical-Vocational Teacher Education student majoring in Garments, Fashion and Design at Bicol University College of Industrial Technology, said the event enables students to understand not only the textile but also the tradition and people behind it.
“This Pinukpok weaving is a great opportunity for us to introduce it to the world. It not only showcases the people who make it, but also the story behind it,” Mirabillo said.
He expressed hope that similar activities would continue and create more opportunities for students in garment and fashion design to work with local materials.
For Mirafuentes and other weavers, greater exposure could mean a wider market and more stable livelihoods.
She said she hopes more people would buy locally made pinukpok products and support the weaving community.
For Alta, the goal is similarly rooted in the people behind the fabric.
“We want people to see that pinukpok is not just a material. It represents our weavers, our culture, and our creativity,” she said. (PNA)
