Cortes papermakers train in natural dyeing method

GOING pro environment all the way to its home-based industries, Cortes Local Government Unit with its partners recently sponsored a training on natural dyeing procedures June 27-28. Cortes, having been into handcrafted paper as its identified one product specialization took another step for the environment, this time, by using natural dye. When Cortes decided to go for the brighter future with the idea of widespread handmade paper production, it also took it as its One-town-one-Product (OTOP) specialization.

The OTOP is a Philippine adaptation of the popular Japanese product specialization method. Made a banner program for poverty alleviation and supported by no less than the President and the DTI, OTOP put off unhealthy competition and allowed diversified specialized production of products. The Cortes training, done in cooperation with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the DTI takes into cognizance the signed manifesto that Boholanos did in 1997: to make sure that the environment is not jeopardized in the efforts for industrial development.

A town long into handcrafted paper using indigenous materials, Cortes paper makers have now realized that colored hand made paper fetches a big demand niche in the international markets. But the next question it has to respond to is this: to go full industrialization and cope with the demand or to go environment friendly by natural dyeing. To give its paper makers that kind of independence that allows them to explore better production methods, the LGU under Mayor Apolinaria Balistoy saw the logic in the training.

A Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer detailed at the local DTI conducted the training to 11 members of the newly revitalized association. The two-day activity focused on the dyeing of salago fiber using naturally sourced dye from plants and vegetation. Salago, locally called sijapo is the primary raw material for handmade paper sheets. It may be recalled that the association then sub-contracted a deal with Japan based exporter of packaging boxes for Japan.

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