The newly launched Philippine Handloom Weaving Center in Taguig City is expected to revitalize the country’s weaving industry while creating more livelihood opportunities, particularly for local weavers and farmers, according to Senator Loren Legarda.

Legarda, along with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., led the formal launch of the center at the DOST-Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) Grounds. The facility is envisioned as a hub for innovation and heritage preservation in the handloom weaving sector.

“Today we celebrate the threads that bind our culture, resilience, artistry, and history as Filipinos,” Legarda said. “As we inaugurate the Philippine Handloom Weaving Center, we are not only breathing life into the weaving industry, but we also continue to provide a lifeline to our weavers and farmers.”

Handloom weaving is a traditional method of crafting textiles using looms powered manually, yielding products rich in cultural symbolism and artistry. The new center aims to modernize weaving techniques while safeguarding these age-old practices.

As part of her advocacy for the industry, Legarda filed Senate Bill No. 241 or the Philippine Handloom Weaving Industry Development Act of 2022, which seeks to support the growth of the handloom weaving sector nationwide. She is also championing the Philippine Tropical Fabric bill, which would mandate the use of locally made fabrics in government uniforms.

However, she noted that these proposals have struggled to gain traction.

“They might think it’s a fashion thing, which definitely is not,” Legarda said. “That’s why I keep on saying, this goes beyond fashion or everyday wear. It’s really a livelihood, up to the farmers.”

According to DOST-PTRI, the new center will spearhead efforts in modernizing weave design, drafting, and analysis; improving handloom technologies; and protecting intellectual property. These initiatives will be carried out in collaboration with 24 Regional Handloom Weaving Innovation Hubs established across the country.

“Our textile interventions at DOST intentionally create channels where each one is given space to contribute, so that they may have more impact than when doing things alone,” Solidum said.

Through skills training and capability-building programs, the center also aims to professionalize handloom weaving as a recognized technical skill. This, Solidum said, will support job generation and strengthen the local textile manufacturing industry.

The PTRI, through its Textile Academy, is currently working with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on the second batch of National Certificate II certification for upright handloom weaving. The program will train 20 weavers from different regions of the country.

The new facility is equipped with 10 HL Mach 4.0 handlooms and two Therapeutic Handloom V2 units—technologies patented by DOST-PTRI to support modernization.

“Let us continue opening the doors of opportunities for learning, knowledge-sharing, and skills development so that we expand the weaving communities and local textile industries, as we strengthen a tradition that is a symbol of our national pride,” Legarda said.

The DOST-PTRI is the government’s lead textile research and development arm. It is mandated to conduct applied R&D for the textile sector, transfer completed research to users, and provide technical services and training. The agency works under the DOST’s four key pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability.