"ILOY CANDELARIA (Mother of Candles)"
Dorothy Gemillan | Iloilo City
It takes one flickering candle to light the darkest of these nights.
It takes one faithful heart to determine one's prayer. It takes a woman to encapsulate the true meaning of storge love. This is “Iloy Candelaria” Our Lady of Candles enshrined from the romanesque revivalist architecture, the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral from the district of Jaro the land of the faithful, the fabled and the formidable, ILOILO CITY.
HEAD DESIGNER: Tata Blas - Pinuela
Assisted by the following people in making this national costume come to life!
> Sarah Mae Sulit
> John Ryan Pinuela
> Paulyn Acolentava
> Kirt Marvin Balgos
> John Paul Custodio Conte
-----------------------------------------
Director | HMUA: Malick James Hilado of The Face Mantra : Make-Up Artistry
Video: Kim Bryan of KB Productions and Joshua Bobadilla Studios
Photo: Aj Laylo | Aj Laylo
Assisted by: Geremy Barceliano | Rapsie R. Mallorca | Guen Quinlat Yntas | Jul Cudias
Creative Consultant: Joemar J. Sustento | Rheno Mar Segura Soqueño| Ron Matthews Espinosa
Studio: The Face Mantra Studios
Hair: Elitista Salon Lipa Branch by Brew Alcazar
Nails: Pinky Swear Nails
A “manugtubok” is an artisan from Panay Bukidnon, the Indigenous Peoples of Calinog, Iloilo who creates hand embroidery called “panubok,” the only living ancient needlecraft heritage in the Philippines. Through their artistry, the national costume is adorned with Indigenous designs like bulak ka labog (flower of vegetables), bulak putik (wild flower), pako pako (fern), matang punay (eyes of a bird), sikag sikag (mid-rib), and binalagon (wild vine) that showcases the inspiration of the Panay Bukidnons’ creativity and ingenuity and the living witnesses of the Panay Bukidnons’ rich culture and traditions. Their embroidery echoes the cultural beliefs, practices, and world views of Calinog’s Panay Bukidnons--- the same town where I am from.
A “manughabol” is a weaver of “habol”, a hand-woven fabric made of fibrous natural materials endemic in the Province of Iloilo like jusi from banana fiber and piña from pineapple fiber or made of polyester yarn indigenous to the towns of Oton and Miag-ao, Iloilo. The quality handloom fabrics that come out from what is considered as one of the oldest surviving crafts in the Philippines once made Iloilo Province the Textile Capital of the Philippines. Featured in the national costume is patadyong, a muti -colored handloom cotton, with patterns of stripes and plaids that intersect in bright colors, and a take on the teral (wooden loom) which is also made of interlacing colors of thread and handloom frays made of abaca fibers.
Manugtubok x Manughabol reflects the unseen labor, world-class local fabrics, and generational craftsmanship found in various communities of Iloilo Province--- a living testament to the silent strength that comes from its people, the Ilonggos. In honor of the Ilongga hablon weavers and Panay Bukidnon culture bearers who worked together with fashion designer Hector “Totong” Gellangarin in the creation of this national costume, and to uplift the thriving and sustainable glocal treasure and ecosystem of the promising textile economy that Iloilo Province offers, we present to you “Manugtubok x Manughabol.”
