Aesthetically crafted - Desinyo Ilongga

SHE was stooping on what I knew to be one specie of a grass. Knowing that I had already done my usual three turns around the whole area, I stopped and asked her why she was doing such careful trimming of the branches of such plant. Rowena, her name which I later learned, answered that she will use these branches as part of the trimmings of the native stuff she is making. And the rest is this story.

So taking my lunch break time, I tried scouting the place which Miss Rowena told me. With the help of one pedicab driver, I found my way to Block 49 in Carmela Valley Homes, Talisay City, the quaint place of Desinyo Ilongga.

Coco shells, bamboo strips, sentimental grass twigs, boxes and frames; deco balls, jars, jewelry boxes, trays and more abound in the place - the former as indigenous materials for the latter which are the finished products.

Ms. Lizette Silverio, the Quality Control Officer and Office-in-Charge, gave me pertinent details about the company and its products.

Manila and the neighboring countries in Asia and Canada are the main destinations of the uniquely crafted native wares of Desinyo Ilongga.

Manned by ten workers, the place is inspired by creative spirits, unique designs, enthusiastic workforce, and humane management style of Mr. Mark John Legario of Silay City.

The Desinyo Ilongga native wares get inspiration from the local art scene, finished product displays and sheer human artistry. True to its name, the workers, who all hail from the various town and cities of Occidental Negros, are provided with a living quarters at the back of the plant.

Also, the indigenous materials making up the products come from the local folks whose place abounds with bamboos, coconuts and grasses. So with this kind of working atmosphere, the stuff produced in Desinyo Ilongga truly creates a distinctive flair of its own.

From artistic decorative balls in different sizes, to hot pads for the dining table , to glass coasters, fruit trays, picture frames, jewelry cases and jars, Desinyo Ilongga native products have made its impact felt in the market with its clients in Manila and abroad. Moreover, the quality control program and the reasonable price which Desinyo Ilongga is putting on its wares make the items proud products of its artisan and owner.

And hard, intricate and thorough are the steps involved in making these products. From patterning to molding to pouring and grinding and backing, the procedures are scrupulously followed by each of the workers to create the Desinyo ILongga stuff to make them at par with the other products of the world.

But what is good about knowing Desinyo Ilongga is the sheer pride that this is truly our own—typically Ilonggo, and truly, if I may say, Negrense.

The odds in buying and selling may be lurking in the bigger world, but with firm faith in the goodness of God and men, the men and the women behind Desinyo Ilongga still do their fair share of making quality products to be able to maintain the name of artistic and quality goods for reasonable prices.

And if you’re interested in buying Desinyo Ilongga products (especially for your relatives here and abroad), you may just send an SMS to Mr. Mark John Legario at 09085077525. You’ll be assured that the artistry, finery and quality are all there - inherently crafted, delicately stamped and properly packed, in every Desinyo Ilongga products. Happy weekend everyone. God bless.