Sunday, September 16, 2007 Gawang Mindanao By Jinggoy Salvador
THERE is more than to Mindanao that what a good number of people, local or visiting, perceive it to have. It doesn't stop with the vintas, the vibrant colors of the tribal costumes, the malongs, batiks and the Red Lotus blankets, or the marangs, mangosteen, the famous seedless pomelos and durian. Dig deeper and look beyond Aldevinco and the fruit stands...
This island, bountiful and rich, is, too, a source of ingenuously fabricated wares fashioned by creative minds and skillful craftsmen. From all points of this huge isla, there is something beautiful to sample and perhaps take home and add to your already growing collection or maybe a thoughtful act of pasalubong.
Yearly, there is an avenue that allows Mindanao producers to showcase their ingenuous creations. From housewares, food, jewelry to decors, the Mindanao Trade Expo is the event to catch every third quarter of the year. This exposition has attracted a great number of visitors eager to view and own the latest designs of our home-grown exporters.
As the vanguard of Mindanao designed products, MTE consistently nurtures their members' talents via a yearly product development and design workshop. World-class Filipino designers are invited to conduct and share their expertise during these gatherings. The aim is to come up with products that are uniquely Mindanao that can compete in the world market. We have had a good track record of award-winning designs to date.
The expo is where we see the end product of the workshop. Through the years we have been the witness to the evolving designs of our local talents. And the group is growing. They are encouraging more people to jump in the bandwagon of creative Mindanao minds and showcase it to the world.
It can be a very fulfilling venture. From drawing board to actual product, the design process may be mind-bending or pops in mind out of nowhere. But when you get to the end of the line, there is a work of art created, and that is just the start of something big.
Fulfillment can come in other forms: a personal glory, praises and the chance to see your product in some architectural or interior design magazine, it is endless. Of course, having a foreign retailer order from you and sell your products worldwide can be counted as one.
MTE is always an awe-inspiring event to go to. From the moment you walk in, the central design area is amazing. Sharing their creative touches every year are Reimon Gutierrez and Movement 8's Tes Pasola. They, plus their peers of the country's leading designers like Budji Layug and Department of Trade bigwigs share their insights on how we can go further with our products in terms of design and experimenting with other materials that is uniquely Mindanao.
That said you might want to join the Mindanao team of creative minds. MTE's Maricris Brias, Anne Pamintuan, Tetel Tionko and many more will be more than happy to welcome you. Everyone in their team will be there to assist everyone who wishes to be a part of promoting Mindanao worldwide.
Your product might just be a good topic of conversation: "Oh, this Anne Pamintuan Coccoon chair design has won prominent international awards" or "Did you know that this Tadeco hand woven tinalak accent pillow is an international star? It was a piece in Zara's show window all over the globe." ...I am holding to my dream that my silver jewelry will get the same recognition and prominence soon, why not?
