Souvenirs from Baguio

In Filipino culture, out-of-town trips mean pasalubong for the folks left behind. In the case of Baguio, three brands provide worthwhile souvenirs: Good Shepherd, Ibay’s and Narda’s.

More than being a compassionate order of nuns, the Good Shepherd Sisters are known for harnessing the nuns’ talents in serving the community through entrepreneurship.

  Good Shepherd produces well-known goodies from Baguio: strawberry jam, peanut brittle, and their guaranteed specialty, ube jam. They also sell other products like ensaymada, raisin bread, cinnamon swirl, guyabano candies, even hand-made greeting cards, which are exported to Germany and other European countries.

“The good thing about us getting into entrepreneurship besides selling quality products is that we’re doing it for a larger cause,” said Sr. Mary Suzanne Sinense. “See, once people buy our products, they are not only getting the finest taste Baguio has to offer but they are also sending students from the Cordilleras to school, as part of our earnings are allocated for their education.”

The leading silver jewelry company in the country’s summer capital, Ibay’s Silver Shop is also a trusted name when it comes to pasalubong. While Good Shepherd specializes in sweets, Ibay’s has its name engraved in Baguio commerce as a master of silver works.

Established in 1975, Ibay’s has developed a sterling reputation for its thousands of innovative, original designs and quality jewelry, which are recognized by its growing clientele not only in the Philippines but in many parts of the world.      

Its website (http://www.ibaysilvershop.com) boldly states that “a trip to Baguio is not complete without going to an Ibay’s Silver Shop to buy pasalubong.” Tour companies have included Ibay’s as part of their itinerary, strengthening the claim that good silver does not tarnish.

On the other hand, Narda’s, located at Upper Session Road, is well known for Narda Capuyan’s original woven cloths. Capuyan’s designs have been copied by other local weavers and are selling well in the dry goods market.

Beginning with blankets, Capuyan moved on to hotel furnishings, bedspreads, draperies and upholstery fabrics. Japanese and American designers were among her first buyers. The first Philippine bag featured in Women’s Wear Daily in New York was a Narda’s creation.

“I have revived the Ikat, which is a very old tradition of tying and dyeing segments of the thread before weaving, and that’s what gives distinction to my works,” said Capuyan, a family-planning nurse whose hand-knitting hobby attracted mothers, thus keeping them busy and helping stem population growth.

Narda’s has expanded to branches in Makati and the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.          

On July 27, Good Shepherd, Ibay’s and Narda’s will be hailed by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III as Inspiring Baguio Entrepreneurs, an award given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship as part of the Go Negosyo Teen Edition slated at Teachers Camp, Baguio City.

Teen Negosyo is part of PCE’s latest campaign, the Go Negosyo Caravan, which aims to bring Go Negosyo forums and expositions to key cities outside Metro Manila. The caravan has already visited Cebu and Bacolod.

Teen Negosyo is a project in partnership with the Department of Education-Center for Student and Co-Curricular Affairs through its executive director Joey Pelaez.

Teen Negosyo is presented by Philippine Airlines, Pagcor, Globe, Hyundai, PLDT, Smart, Islands Souvenirs, DTI-OTOP, PTTC, and RFM Corp. Other partners of the event include The Philippine STAR, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Bulletin, GMA Network Inc., RPN9, NBN4, Aspac-Law, Ideal Minds Corp., The Master’s Lighthouse Foundation, and Full Circle Communications.