A MANDAUE City official has proposed several initiatives to strengthen and promote “silhig” (brooms) as a specialty product of the city to support the livelihood of its local manufacturers.
During the City Council’s regular session on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, Councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz proposed that the City Government coordinate with department stores and grocery stores to allow silhig manufacturers to display their products in these establishments, as was done in the past.
Soon-Ruiz noted that the number of silhig manufacturers in the city had been decreasing.
Silhig is a type of Filipino broomstick made of palm midribs bound together with or without a wooden pole handle.
In Mandaue City, Barangay Paknaan is well-known for producing good quality brooms and a significant number of silhig manufacturers.
Last Sunday, Feb. 11, the village celebrated its 13th annual Silhig Festival.
The Silhig Festival is part of Paknaan’s fiesta celebration, which honors the Sto. Niño.
The festival, celebrated every first Saturday of February, was created in 2011 to showcase silhig as the barangay’s primary source of livelihood and attract more investors.
Soon-Ruiz suggested having silhig souvenirs made, especially for potential investors, to enhance the production of local manufacturers; and for the City Government to help provide technological advancements to enhance the broomsticks’ production.
“When we offer gifts to our visitors, we can include brooms as one of the souvenirs. We can create a local brand out of it. Along with the bamboo watch, we can add brooms and promote these items. This way, we can support our local industries which are gradually disappearing,” said Soon-Ruiz in Cebuano.
“We often buy broomsticks from Baguio City, but come to think of it, our silhig in Paknaan is also of good quality,” she added.
Decreased income
Paknaan Barangay Captain Marissa Tecling said out of the barangay’s approximately 34,000 residents, about 40 percent or roughly 13,600 people depend on selling silhig for their livelihood.
But only a few families skilled in broomstick manufacturing are left doing the business, she said.
Paknaan offers two types of silhig. First is the “pinisi,” which is made of palm midribs bound with a rope or “pisi” which comes with a bamboo holder stick. It costs P50.
The other type, called the skylab, is made of special fiber from a buli tree. This also comes with a bamboo stick handle but costs a little more at P75.
All products can be purchased either directly from Paknaan makers or at the Mandaue City Public Market.
Tecling explained that the annual Silhig Festival is meant to promote the industry and to possibly attract even international attention from social media posts.
She said many overseas Filipino workers buy Paknaan’s silhig due to its good quality.
Emmadhel Alinsug, 27, who comes from one of the native silhig maker families in Zone Sibuyas, said their sales significantly dropped after the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020.
Before the pandemic, they used to earn around P1,000 to P2,000 a day. Nowadays, they can only earn P5,000 or less per month, depending on random orders they receive.
Alinsug also said they often face difficulties in getting a steady supply of fiber. When stocks from their nearest supplier in Barangay Labogon run out, they source their materials from Compostela in nothern Cebu.
Alinsug welcomed Soon-Ruiz’s proposal, saying this would help them keep the industry alive. The silhig industry is their sole source of livelihood, which has been passed down through generations.
“It would be great if we will be promoted because before, we used to be around 30 families making silhig here. Now, we are down to roughly 10 families who continue to manufacture silhig,” said Alinsug in Cebuano.
Silhig tours
For her part, Councilor Immaline Cortes-Zafra, who chairs the committee on budget, said Mandaue City is taking steps to preserve its local silhig manufacturing industry in Paknaan through ventures with non-government organizations.
Cortes-Zafra said the City also regularly organizes tours in Paknaan for potential investors.
“This allows them to see the manufacturing process and hopefully, encourage them to promote it in other areas,” she said.