CATANDUANES: ABACA CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES
ABACA HISTORY
To understand the history of the abaca is to
understand the history of the Philippines and its colonial past.
Pigafetta, the Spanish chronicler of Magellan’s
historic voyage to the Philippines in 1521, wrote the first account of abaca
use. When the Spaniards arrived on Philippines shores, indigenous Filipinos
were already wearing clothes made of abaca fibre. A historian confirmed that
abaca is indigenous to the Philippines in the 1800s. He also noticed extensive
plantations of the plant on the island of Luzon, particularly in Bicolandia, a
long peninsula stretching southeastwards of the Philippines.
THE TOP PRODUCER OF ABACA IN THE PHILIPPINES:
CATANDUANES
The House of Representatives has declared
Catanduanes as the abaca capital of the Philippines. Catanduanes is recognized
as the country’s biggest producer of abaca fiber in the country, thus deserving
the title “Abaca Capital of the Philippines”
Considering Catanduanes as the top producer of abaca product in the Philippines, it highly contributed in the standing of the country as the world’s largest producers of abaca, supplying 87 percent of the world’s requirement in natural fiber. Catanduanes is widely known in producing high quality fibers. The main source of livelihood of the greater population living in Catanduanes is farming and production of abaca, which constitutes 12,679 abaca farmers of total 33,097 hectares of land in 11 abaca-producing municipalities. House Bill 6149 recognizes the importance of abaca production as “driver or rural development” and its tremendous contribution in increasing the country’s exports earnings.
ABACA FESTIVAL IN CATANDUANES
The first-ever Catanduanes Abaca Festival, held in
the last week of May 2016, was a weeklong celebration of the province’s
thriving abaca industry. The inaugural festival was an important means of
promoting and elevating the abaca industry in Catanduanes, as well as
showcasing well-known abaca products. Several events were held to highlight the
importance of abaca in Catanduanes economic and social life.
ABACA AND ITS PRODUCTS
Abaca is the strongest among natural fibers,
posing a remarkable reputation for sustainability and tenacity. It has great
economic importance and is harvested for its strong, versatile fiber that can
be woven into home and fashion accessories, including wallcoverings, rugs,
tapestries, bags, hats, shoes, slippers, lamps, clothing and furniture.
ABACA AND CATANDUANES
Catanduanes a province known for being a savage
path of typhoons that cross the country; a host to various devastating storms
that have destroyed millions of properties and livelihoods over the years.
Nonetheless, Catanduanes and its people have demonstrated strength and
resilience in the face of heinous atrocities in numerous ways. For one thing,
the province has continued to produce high quality abaca fibers and products. Abaca
is inextricably linked to the province’s identity. It is in abaca that its
people learned to be resilient in the face of adversity. This island province
is, in fact, known as the “abaca country.”
References:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mb.com.ph/2021/01/04/catanduanes-declared-nations-abaca-capital/%3famp
Comments
Post a Comment