In celebration of the 9th Hablon Festival with the theme: “Miagao Hablon: Panublion nga Dapat Ipadayon Para sa Pagbangon,” three faculty members of the University of the Philippines Visayas served as resource speakers last September 20, 2022, at the Justice Ramon B. Britanica Hall, Miagao, Iloilo.
Dr. Randy O. Madrid of the Division of Professional education talked about the history of Hablon and Hinabol, while Dr. Vivian A. Topor and Prof. Anthony Salvador B. Albaladejo of the Department of Chemistry presented the results of the study on natural dyeing.
The event was attended by local weavers from the different barangays practicing Hablon weaving. The talk was followed by a discussion with the weavers, local government unit, and other stakeholders in coming up with activities to promote Hablon weaving to the younger generation. The process of natural dyeing applied to Hablon was also tackled to address the need of promoting naturally-dyed Hablon products.
The event was spearheaded by the local government unit of Miagao through Sangguniang Bayan Members Hon. Japhet Grace Moleta, Hon. Cezar Florece, and Mrs. Mary Diane Flordeliza, Miagao’s tourism officer.
(This article, written by Prof. Anthony Salvador Albaladejo, was first published in the UP Visayas Website on September 27, 2022)