The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Negosyo Center in San Luis, Aurora is assisting the Abaca growers of the province through livelihood opportunities to supplement their income from farming activities.
A two-day Skills Training on Abaca Twining under the agency’s SME Roving Academy (SMERA) program was held last October 7-8, 2020, benefiting a total of twenty-six (26) abaca farmers who are all members of the Balitwak Farmers Association, a group of abaca growers in Aurora. With the group’s vision of aiming to become a self-reliant and productive organization, the Negosyo Center San Luis led by its BusinessCounselor Florelyn Caniete, opted to conduct training for the group to create value adding activities. The training proper was handled by experienced abaca growers and processors from Dinalungan, Aurora.
The activity was made possible in close collaboration with San Luis Mayor Ariel De Jesus and Municipal Agriculture Officer Lourdes Esmundo and the Philippine Fiber Development Authority (PhilFiDA) Officer Jovito Bumatay.
With the training, the group was able to produce abaca handicraft prototypes such as abaca macrame bag, souvenir items, planters, coasters and even packaging material twine used for longganisa making.
During the launch of the training, Mayor De Jesus was appreciative of the effort done by DTI-Aurora through its Negosyo Center in San Luis. Upon seeing the prototypes and newly products produced by the abaca farmers, he committed support to push the promotion of abaca industry in the Municipality of San Luis. He also committed to provide two sets of twining machines for the group to help them start their abaca processing. On the other hand, PhilFiDA saw the urgency of helping these abaca growers to support income generating projects. The abaca growers promised to seek assistance from PhilFiDA for the provision of abaca fiber making machine. DTI Provincial Director Edna Dizon added that the abaca industry of Aurora is one of the priority industries being pushed by DTI for intensive promotion and development.
