Bridging the Gap
The Indag-an Primary Multi-purpose Coop in Miag-ao, Iloilo
Textile weaving is a traditional industry that still exists today in Miag-ao, Iloilo. It has survived throughout the years and is being kept alive by the Indag-an Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative which has become a key player in the weaving industry in the municipality.
Barangay Indag-an is an inland community that is almost four kilometer distance from the town proper. Almost one-fourth of the land area of the barangay is covered with forests. The rest consists of small rugged hills which are abundant in grasses for the grazing of livestock, patches of agricultural lands planted with rice, corn and legumes, and residential sections.
The weavers in the cooperative are residents of the barangay. On the average, there are ten regular weavers and most of them are married. Weaving in the cooperative serves as their sources of living to provide the basic needs of their families. All of them are females, except for one male, and are elementary graduates only.
Every weaver in the cooperative has her/his contract on a per piece or per dozen basis, depending upon the complexity of the work. After one job is completed, the weaver could renew the contract. Buyers personally visit the cooperative or contact the manager if they wished to buy woven products. Others just send their order through the telephone or cell phone and the goods are sent through cargo carriers, like the LBC. The prices of the products depend on the kind, size, and difficulty of weaving.
Sometimes, the cooperative faces problems in its operation due to the delay in the ordered materials or even in the payment of the finished goods. So, the manager sees to it that they have extra supply of materials or they order ahead of time. He also sees to it that the customers have a very good credit line and they can be depended upon to pay on time. The raw material threads being used in weaving are cotton, rayon, silk, vonnel, metallic yarns and polyester which are brought from stores in Iloilo City.
The Indag-an Cooperative is one of Miag-ao's prides. It attracts visitors and generates employment, especially for the Indag-anons. With the application of improved skills and creativity in loom weaving, finished products become sellable and have higher demands both in the domestic market and even in the world market. Through weaving in the cooperative, many parents have been able to generate income for the education of their children.
The continued existence of the traditional weaving industry through the use of the traditional "tiral" or weaving loom in Indag-an is due to the interest and support of the local and national government. The national government supports the cooperative through the Department of Trade and Industry that promotes the woven products by sponsoring fashion shows and exhibits in malls. The British Embassy in Manila has also given a certain amount for the development of the cooperative's building. The Cooperative is officially registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). In its initial operation, it had a little more than 70 members and now it has more than 100 who are all residents of the barangay.
The specialized woven products of the Indag-an Cooperative are shawls, placemats, materials for bags, pillow cases, "patadyong", mosquito nets, school and office uniforms, short and long-sleeved barongs, polo shirts, and kerchiefs.