In Baguio, coming together is the Harvest
A bountiful field begins with a seed. Baguio, the first UNESCO Creative City in the Philippines known for its crafts and folk arts, has plenty. It is home to two national artists, Kidlat Tahimik and BenCab. The Cordilleras is home to generations of artisans whose soul and heritage are expressed in weaving. Weaving is also a source of livelihood that sustains communities; it is also a cultural expression that the world needs to see.
When Bayo’s co-CEO Anna Lagon met a kindred spirit in Venus Tan, then former Department of Tourism regional director for the Cordilleras and former chief operating officer of the DOT Tourism Promotions Board, the seeds were planted.
Lagon likes using acronyms as a reminder of an entity’s guiding principles. The Bayo Foundation is “a Business for the people that would help empower and educate in the Arts through creativity. It is for the Youth. It is also an Outreach, ready to help when there’s a calamity,” she explains.
Lagon is a pioneer in Filipino retail women’s wear with husband and co-CEO Leo Lagon with their brand Bayo. They have already jumpstarted #JourneytoZero, a multi-faceted initiative towards sustainable fashion that encompasses developing textiles out of scrap materials like bakong and livelihood projects with its social responsibility arm, like “Weaving in the City,” teaching hand-weaving in collaboration with the City of Pasig.
Tan, who was instrumental to Baguio’s UNESCO accreditation, sought to reach the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. “Creativity is a vehicle to alleviate poverty. Creativity is an industry that will be an impetus to improving the lives of artists and craftsmen,” she says.
When wearable statement pieces by Bea Valdes’ Valdes Designs, Harvic Dominguez, Vin Orias, and Zarah Juan came walking down a packed Session Road during the Ibagiw Festival, the clothes — now available and made to measure for you at the newly opened Bayo Atelier at Greenbelt 5 — aren’t the harvest in itself.
The harvest began when the weavers and designers came together. Launched during the festival, “HARVEST” stands for Heritage Artisanship Reimagined as a Vehicle for Economic growth, Sustainability, and Technology — a creative commUNITY hub where artists of different disciplines get together.
Cordillera weaver Lola Antonia, who has been weaving since 1982 in the Abra, Bontoc, and Mountain Province patterns, enjoys a second wind of inspiration. “Quality ang ginagamit na sinulid dito sa Harvest. Tumaas ang quality ng gawa namin,” she says.
Weavers Emma Cera and Josielyn Solimen, whose expertise lies in intricate wall tapestries, admit to the same surge of creativity. “Lately tinatamad ako mag habi. Pero nung nakita ko yung fashion, na excite ako. Eto pala ang kaya ko gawin,” says Cera.
Soliman is coming to terms with embracing the imperfections that make every handmade work special — something designing fashion has taught her. She shares, “Nung nakita ko sa design ng damit, yung kaninag gusto ko baguhin, ang ganda pala.”
The harvest now grows for the next generation. The collaboration empowers next generation weaver Maria Leah Degyawi Denga-ey, Lola Antonia’s granddaughter who introduces weaves and contemporary fashion to the TikTok generation.
“Ngayon nalaman na ng kabataan na unique tayo dahil dito. Eto ang kultura natin.” Denga-ey says.
Harvest’s space itself is a testament to what collaboration can achieve. The edifice used to be a workshop for Baguio Botanical Garden’s motor pool of service trucks. Its facade is recycled from felled pine trees and sawali painted by muralist Venazir Martinez and sponsored by Boysen and San Miguel Corporation. “Nothing is thrown away, they can be part of something,” notes Tan.
“Harvest is open to anyone and any brand. We are open to share what we know and learn. We are not the middle person,” Lagon declares. “We’d like to grow a pool of weavers. It's an open space that helps the community.”
Weaving is only the beginning. While Harvest houses other artisanal products like Filipino coffee and showcases visual arts by local artists, Lagon reveals they are exploring bringing back Made in Baguio crochet with sustainable materials. When the soil is fertile with harvest, the possibilities are endless.
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The Harvest Creative Community Hub is located at Botanical Garden, 37 Leonard Wood St., Baguio City.
