Crafting Innovation: Empowering Local Arts and Crafts through Science

DOST-NCR’s event, “Pamana Agham: Celebrating the Filipino Heritage through Science,” featured a novel activity that accomplished two things: promote the products of its assisted communities and OFW entrepreneurs under DOST’s Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) and the Innovation for Filipinos Working Distantly from the Philippines (iFWD) programs, and at the same time teach the audience about indigenous craft making. This was done through live craft making demonstration sessions during the “Crafting Innovation: Empowering Local Arts and Crafts through Science” on October 16, 2023 at Intramuros, Manila.

This activity, which was attended by students, community members, and Intramuros visitors, created an avenue for local enterprises to showcase their arts and crafts, to share their experiences, and to inspire innovative thinking among participants in the pursuit of economic and cultural development within communities.

Ms. Marivic Martin. President of Team Bayongera, a community-based enterprise in Barangay Potrero, Malabon City, showed the audience how to make their colorful bayong. While doing her craft, she urged everyone to persevere despite any difficulties or struggles that they may face in life. She also shared how DOST-NCR’s interventions benefited their company and the Malabon community through technology assistance and training. Lastly, she invited the audience to participate in making bayong onstage as a reminder for all to not keep our knowledge to ourselves, but to share it with others.

For her part, Ms. Madelaine O. Bosquillos, President of Scraps to Crafts Handicrafts Manufacturing of Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, discussed the various ways to repurpose waste materials into crafts to generate additional income. She demonstrated how to use leftover materials from junk shops to create a wall clock and tissue holder. She also emphasized the importance of sustaining our environment because she is an advocate for environmental protection and conservation and is the head of the barangay’s Materials Recovery Facility. Further, Ms. Bosquillos expressed her gratitude to DOST-NCR for providing training to communities to develop new skills. At the conclusion of her demonstration, Ms. Bosquillos encouraged everyone to create crafts from scraps because it can stimulate creativity, reduce waste, and minimize landfills.

Also at the event was Ms. Cristy Divinagracia, one of the beneficiaries of DOST’s iFWD PH program in 2022, who has since established the Pahina Luna, a business that makes handmade scented candles. She shared her experience as one of the beneficiaries of iFWD PH, her knowledge in candlemaking, and her stories as a business that started during the pandemic.

The three-day “Pamana Agham: Celebrating the Filipino Heritage through Science” event was time well-spent at the historic Walled City. It not only provided valuable bonding time with family and friends, but also enabled guests to have a new appreciation for the country’s rich history and heritage.

By: Kerve Supnet, TOD-CAMANAVA CASTO