Vigan seniors show wares despite age

By Freddie G. Lazaro

VIGAN CITY — Senior citizens here are showing that despite their age, they can still earn money for their sustenance.

Undersecretary ParisyaHashim-Taradji from the Department of Social Welfare and Development last week lauded senior citizens here who turned loom weavers after they paid borrowed capital assistance on time and displayed productivity despite their ages.

Taradji said she appreciated efforts of senior citizen- beneficiaries of the Self Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA –K) program in sustaining the production of the handwovenclothings or popularly known as Abel – Ilokoclothings from the historical loom weaving-city in the country.

Seeing the senior citizens still active in loom weaving, Taradji commented, “This industry should be handed down to the younger generation or else it ceases.”

The group of 25 loom weavers, who are members of Camanggaan- SEA-K Association in Vigan City, are mostly senior citizens who accessed DSWD capital assistance of P125,000 in 2009.

According to DSWD Region information officer Iryn Q. de los Reyes, despite the advanced ages of the aid recipients, they were able to pay back the whole capital assistance of P125,000 on time in two  years and are still working on their own novelty items like table runners, place mats, bags, office portfolio, wallets, to name a few.

Lola Josefina Tablo, the president of Camanggan SEA – K, mentioned how the capital assistance helped the members significantly increased their production in 2009 up to present.

Tablo, who is now 65 years old, is still earning an average of P7,000 a month from the P15,000 production cost on loom weaving.

She has market outlets in Vigan City and Bangar, La Union with products like body bags, passport bags, place mats and table runners. Loom woven products are patronized by local and foreign tourists visiting the famous Heritage Village and Baluarte.

Camanggaan SEA- K is expanding and encouraging more senior citizens to work.

Lola Perpetua is among the hired workers of Mrs. Tablo. According to her, she has six workers regularly weaving table runners and place mats.

Despite their slowed pace and weakened muscles, Lola Perpetua Castañeda, 76 years old, from Barangay  Camanggaan, said she still has strength to work as the loom weaver in the “abel”  industry in this northern part of Region 1. “Agtrabaho ak agingga iti kayak ( I will work until my strength carries me on),” she said.

Her joy is visible on her face while she works on the “tilyar” (wooden weaving equipment) wherein she earns a minimum of  P500 a week.

The loom weaving industry in this town has produced numerous professionals and successful individuals like the children of Lola Perpetua and Lola Josefina.

For the members of the Camanggaan SKA, they are thankful of the DSWD capital assistance and still hope for additional assistance that will help them increase their production or plant locally-known raw materials needed in loom weaving.