Legarda eyes global stage for Filipino indigenous crafts with NACF 2025

Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao come alive in one place at the National Arts and Crafts Fair 2025, where the richness of Filipino Indigenous arts takes center stage. This year’s edition, now in its eighth year, gathers hundreds of artisans, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and cultural communities from across the country under one roof at SM Megamall.

Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, opened the fair with a bold vision: to bring the Philippines’ artisanal excellence to the global stage. “I’ll continue to support this every year because I envisioned this more than 10 years ago,” she said. “And I will probably do a National Arts and Crafts Fair per region as well. I want to bring this to Frankfurt, like I brought the Frankfurt Book Fair, literary and cultural programs.”

Legarda recently led the Philippine delegation to the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 as Guest of Honor, championing Filipino literature, Indigenous knowledge systems, and cultural diplomacy. Now, she hopes to carry the same energy into NACF, ensuring that local crafts reach international audiences.

“This is really a conglomeration of all micro, small, and medium enterprises from our Indigenous peoples, from our cultural communities,” Legarda explained. “You don’t just buy souvenirs here. These are decades of work.” Visitors can discover GAMABA awardees, Schools of Living Traditions, and community artisans supported by government initiatives such as DOLE Kabuhayan and DTI Shared Service Facilities.

Legarda emphasized that the fair is inclusive and empowering. “The prices here are one-fifth or one-tenth cheaper than elsewhere because we do not charge for their booths. Everything they earn goes to them.” For her, NACF is more than a marketplace. “It’s like you’re able to go to different provinces, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and see it in one place,” she said. “These are the arts and crafts and the artisanal work of our local communities that are difficult to reach. They’re in the mountains, in remote barangays.”

The senator also called on Filipino youth to engage deeply with Indigenous traditions. “Alamin ang kasaysayan, ang hirap, at ang ibig sabihin ng mga disenyo. Dapat alam nila yung diperensya ng Dagmay at T’nalak, ng Tiboli at Mandaya, ng Kalinga at Mountain Province.”

With over 300 exhibits running from 23-29 October, NACF 2025 continues to elevate Filipino heritage and empower communities. Supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Design Center of the Philippines, the fair demonstrates how tradition, creativity, and culture can shine far beyond national borders.