Las Piñas Rep. Villar presents to Gov. Pineda a Villar Foundation’s blanket made by women to economically empower them. Joining them are (L-R) Board Member David-Dizon, Mayor Tetangco and Board Member Dizon.
Photo by Ric Gonzales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar vowed to assist the Pampanga provincial government in tapping the services of members the Indigenous tribes for the blanket weaving industry which was started some 20 years ago by the three-term congressman.
Villar, who was accompanied by Apalit Mayor Oscar “Jun” Tetangco in her Tuesday visit to the Capitol, said the plan of Gov. Lilia Pineda to tap members of the some 15,000 Aetas based in Mabalacat City and Floridablanca and Porac towns “is feasible and ideal.”
Villar is the managing director of the Villar Foundation, which is involved in providing livelihood projects to some 1,000 families in the lone district of Las Piñas. The same foundation is into environmental-social approach in saving the Las Piñas-Zapote river in Metro Manila.
Villar said the industry allowed her constituents, mostly women, develop a sense of “self-respect and much needed daily income while they stay just near their homes.”
Villar told Pineda, who has been promoting livelihood and health care to Aetas since 2010, that the labor fee for one blanket is P65. She added that each worker could do at least three blankets per day and earn P195.
“They work near their houses and get home early minus the transportation cost. Their earnings are maximized,” said Villar in Tagalog to journalists.
Pineda invited Villar to take part in the week-long Pampanga Day Celebration set to begin on December 4.
Pineda said she will invite the 62-year-old senatorial candidate in the launching of the weaving industry for Aetas in Nabuklod, Floridablanca. Others who welcomed Villar were Board Members Nestor Tolentino, Cris Garbo, Olga Frances “Fritzie” David-Dizon and Trina Dizon.
Villar said their foundation will help train Pineda’s team in preparation for the launching of the project in the province.
Villar added that she had launched the same pilot project in 100 cities and provinces.
Villar said the first-term governor could buy the blankets to be made in Pampanga for distribution during calamites.
“Instead of buying from outside, you can buy your own products which allowed many to earn from your place,” said Villar, who earlier received the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and the 2009 Social Entrepreneurship Track for Livelihood Development Program using wastes from the river.
In the same meeting, Villar urged Pineda to use water hyacinth as materials for making bags and even furniture items.
The rivers of Las Piñas and Pampanga commonly have the floating plants better known as water lilies.
