Arevalo Sinamay House

Text by Wein P. Gadian
Photos by Chris Fernandez

Filipinos are fond of wearing their best clothing during special occasions: Wedding, christening, Christmas, parties, or Sunday masses. The style and design is as important as the fabric used. One of Filipinos finest fabric is in Iloilo’s weaving industry. These include woven textiles from abaca and pineapple, cotton and silk since the pre-Spanish period.  It was in the 19th century when textile production in Iloilo reached a remarkable development that it was referred to as “the textile center” of the Philippines. Although towards the end of nineteenth century, it has lost its importance when it became a sugar entry point in the region. Many Ilonggo entrepreneurs shifted from weaving to sugar production. And the sale of cheaper English cotton materials increased and later eliminated the local market of Iloilo’s textile. Its dwindling industry discouraged most Ilonggos to engage on it but to this day, it has survived in the Arevalo Sinamay House.

Old furnitures preserved and used by the family.

The Arevalo Sinamay House is owned by Mrs. Cecilia Gison Villanueva. It was established in the late nineteenth century by her great grandfather, Captain Victorino Chavez, this “home industry” still operates today. The business and building were handed down by Captain Victorino to his son, Cornelio, and in turn was taken over by Cornelio’s daughter, Mrs. Rosario Chavez Gison. And in 1958, Cecilia Villanueva, the second child of Rosario, inherited the business and the house.  During its early years, the weaving activity were done in the family’s house in Arevalo, Iloilo City. Now, known as the Sinamay House. However, in the 1990’s Cecilia decided that the weavers work in their respective houses. This too was an advantage for the workers because they could both tend their household as well as earn for a living. With the arrangement, Cecilia provides the fibers/thread and decides what items to weave. After which, the finished products will be sold back to her. Now, Mrs. Villanueva maintains ten weavers, some of them are the granddaughters of her mothers’ weavers.

After which Villanueva buys these finished products from her contracted weavers that she sells to her outlets in Iloilo and Manila. These finished products include: all clothing materials for special occasions. Be it wedding, barong, gowns, semi-formal dresses, dining accessories and a lot more that are made of sinamay. The woven textile were beautifully done that it has catch attention of foreigners like Forbes Lindsay, an American visitor in the 1990’s. Another was the late Princess Diana of Wales who sent the household a ‘thank you’ for the shawl brought to her as a gift by a British woman.
Other than the age old legacy of the “home industry” is the two-storey century old house. In a floor area of 1,000 square meters, the old house still stands firm. Though some of its parts have been renovated, most of its wooden parts are still the original.

The wooden furniture of tables, chairs, rocking chair, post and beams are made of hardwood and has survived a century. It also has a life size ‘Jesus Christ in his Passion’ on its altar as old as the house. Aside from sheltering the sinamay business, the house was occupied by the Americans during the Filipino-American war. In the 1950s, the house was visited by Luz Banzon Magsaysay, wife of the President Ramon Magsaysay who bought woven materials and President Cory Aquino in the 90’s. A year ago, the internationally acclaimed singing group ‘Bukas Palad’ visited the old house and sang for the family. ‘Bukas Palad’s’ also came with the Christian group, Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon.

The house also has the old weaving machine which until this day functions. It is located on the ground floor of the house together with the vintage car that was used by the family until the early of 1990’s. The oldest between the house and the business is difficult to ascertain but both are living legacies not only of the Villanueva family but also of us Ilonggos. It’s also where you can find Mama’s Kitchen cookies which are made on a typically Ilonggo grown products. Visit the house at 16 Osmeña Street Arevalo, Iloilo City. Feel and see the old time architecture and Iloilo’s textile industry.