Palamuti's Journey to El Nido, Palawan

El Nido, Palawan is perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines in terms of natural beauty. Rated as “the best beach and island destination” in the country, El Nido is home to picturesque limestone cliffs, diverse endemic wildlife, and a rich marine ecosystem. A top tourist destination, most notably during the months of December through May, residents of El Nido have geared towards satisfying the demands of travelers from all over the world, who have come to bask in their tropical paradise.

Sadly, once the massive swell of tourists trickles down during the off-peak monsoon season, so do the opportunities for employment and earning money. With Palamuti’s advocacy for helping women artisans, it was a perfect place to discover and develop new talent. The Philippines is a country which does not lack for artistic talent. However, most of this talent remains untapped, simply because those blessed with the abilities rarely have the chance to nurture them, as they are pressed with more immediate needs, such as a stable and reliable income to care for their families.

We decided to target a small group of women; namely mothers and young women under the poverty alleviation group “Gawad Kalinga”, in Brgy. Masagana, El Nido, Palawan. Dubbed as the “GK” community, families residing there earn their income through working for tourist establishments, run small to medium scale businesses in the form of stores and touring groups, or catch fish in the sea to sell or eat. However, they too are greatly affected during the tourist lean season, and must find other ways to support themselves. Additionally, women in the rural Philippines are tasked with caring for the needs of the home and her children while the men are out working.

" Novie is from Ilocos Norte and was not able to pursue a college degree for her family’s lack of finances. However, this does not stop her from being able to help her family in the province. As a Palamuti artisan and designer, she is supporting her two younger siblings in finishing their studies.
As part of our goal in developing and educating our Palamuti in-house artisans, Novie became the first apprentice to take a vocational course in Fashion Accessory Making. For the past few years we have been invited to conduct small scale workshops, mostly for participants from poor communities, on how to make handmade accessories. As our chief apprentice, she has played a significant role as an instructor for these workshops, most especially during the 3-week training in El Nido, Palawan. Despite her modest education, she has become capable of passing on knowledge to other women. Training to become an artisan has given her a sense of direction, fulfillment, and dignity."

So as not to interfere with their daily routine, we held an informal Palamuti three-week skills development workshop on bead embroidery in their community. Throughout this period of teaching and training, the women who had the skill, patience, and commitment needed for a Palamuti artisan, were thinned out from the herd. This process helps us to find the people we value; those who believe in our vision of beauty and hope, translated into wearable, unique and exquisitely handcrafted art pieces.

It is our hope to give these budding new artisans a helping hand by giving them new avenues to channel and improve their artistic gifts, while helping to support their families in a way that doesn't separate them from home or disrupt their day-to-day lives. A mother can still care for her children and watch over the family store, while working on her latest design. A student can still go to school and complete her studies, while spending her free time creatively instead succumbing to idle pastimes and vice. All they need to devote is a little bit of time, and the willingness to become a little bit better, one step at a time, not just artistically, but as a person as well.

The workshop was also able to generate a buzz among some business owners in El Nido, Palawan. The handmade creations of these artisans will soon be displayed in a hotel souvenir shop, a dive shop, a beach bar, and a few independent souvenirs shops. In line with our vision to give Filipino women artisans a global platform to sell their craft, Palamuti will also be selling their creations on our website.

 With a bit of work, hope, and meeting the right people, we were able to plant the seeds of our vision in El Nido. We plan on coming back next year to teach new techniques, and to hopefully find more promising women artisans.

Keeping it real. - PJV