FROM AKLAN TO MARINDUQUE: THE SPELL OF FIBERFEST AND PHILEXPORT ENERGY
	PHILEXPORT TO HOLD SEMINAR FOR MARINDUQUE ENTREPRENEURS AFTER AKLAN FIBERFEST SUCCESS!
	by: Eli Obligacion
	Gov. Carrion was invited by Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez to grace the 9th Aklan Piņa & Fiber Festival in Kalibo as special guest. The Marinduque governor was ready to fly until he got a Malacanang call to join the national security meeting scheduled in San Jose, Occ. Mindoro on the same day, April 23rd, with the President. We had an earlier understanding with the DTI Marinduque PD Carling Fabalena and Mariden Calub to join each other in Kalibo. They took the plane, we travelled via Pinamalayan, opted for the land-sea route to save on costs and to experience GMA's 'Strong Republic Nautical Highway'.
	The Fiberfest is a project of the Aklan provincial government and the DTI Aklan provincial office in coordination with the Aklan fiber manufacturers and traders. Showcased are Aklan's best products of blended loomwoven fabrics, fashion accessories and furnishings from pina, abaca, ruffia and other fibers. Governor Carrion was aware that half-a-century ago, when Aklan was yet a newly founded province (Aklan is 52 years old on April 23, Marinduque turned 88 last February 21 when it celebrated its founding anniversary for the first time), Marinduque was already producing the best sinamay fabrics that were being imported to Manila. Historical records anywhere state that Marinduque produced the finest abaca in the country. Marinduque women (Boac women specifically), were in fact the first to wear those intricate abaca fabrics that the upper class women of Manila took fancy on and later adopted as their 'traje'. (That eventually evolved as the famous Filipina dress). With modernization, Marinduque's vulnerability to typhoons and pests that wiped out the abaca, and neglect, among others, the abaca and sinamay industry died. In recent years, through DTI's initiatives the industry is being revived, along with development of other fibers like raffia, buntal, nito and others. From Aklan's 17 towns, 90 local exhibitors engaged in loomweaving, gifts and housewares, furniture & furnishings, food processing/baker, garden/cutflowers and others joined the Fiberfest.
	FIBERFEST IMMEDIATE OUTPUT: PHILEXPORT GOES TO MARINDUQUE NOW!
	But the major output of the Fiberfest as far as the Marinduque Governor's Office and the DTI Marinduque Office, decided upon in a quiet corner at the Fiberfest venue, while the hustle and bustle of the affair went by, and in the midst of the unusual global-warming heat, is this: To help the Marinduque manufacturers, the PHILIPPINE EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CORP. (PHILEXPORT), whose Trustee, NORA H. LAO delivered the keynote speech has decided to hold a seminar for entrepreneurs and product development in Marinduque as soon as possible. The indefatigable Nora Lao muses: "Philexport was the first to respond when Marinduque was hit by typhoon Reming by sending sacks of rice!" "Let's schedule it already on May 16. We will be composed of the same Philexport team of Trustees who came to Kalibo, and we'll take care of all the expenses. We are ready to engage Marinduque manufacturers in a one-on-one session each, and we'll find a suitable place for the purpose". DTI PD Fabalena could hardly wait to start organizing the first-of-a-kind seminar to be held in Marinduque for local manufacturers, to be conducted by the cream of Philippine exporters and manufacturers whose role in the promotion and development of pina cloth, the "Queen of Philippine Fabrics", cannot be ignored. International trendsetters like Calvin Klein, Josie Natori, Donna Karan and Valentino have used pineapple fabric in their collection. The Marinduquenos in the Fibertfest were Carlito Fabalena, Mariden Calub (DTI Marinduque), Eli Obligacion, Ian Sotto (PGO), Rudy Mariposque (DTI Romblon), and Nora Lao (GASMAR), herself. "Dito pa tayo nagkita-kita sa Kalibo!", said Lao. Even Gov. Marquez of Aklan was overheard saying "I also have relatives living in Marinduque!"
			HOME