THE Women’s Business Council Philippines (WomenBizPH) is pushing to bring Mindanao and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) weaving communities and local artisans closer to global markets through the Amazing Weaves Distinction Awards 2026—Mindanao and Barmm selection held Friday, August 21, 2026, at SM City Zamboanga.
Commissioner Rosemarie Rafael, labor sector representative of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between traditional artisans in remote communities and buyers in the international digital marketplace.
“It’s not just about moving boxes. It is about building bridges,” said Rafael, who currently serves as the chairperson of WomenBizPH.
She said many artisans continue to face barriers in accessing to financing, markets and logistics, particularly those working in remote villages.
She cited the challenge of connecting a weaver working on a loom in a distant community with buyers in major markets such as Singapore and Tokyo.
“Our dream is to make our weavers and local entrepreneurs global,” she said.
Rafael said government agencies, private-sector groups and financial institutions are working together to provide artisans with financing, market access, policy support and logistics assistance.
She also stressed the need for policies that directly address the concerns of local artisans, citing collaboration with the Philippine Commission on Women and other partners.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso welcomed the initiative, saying programs such as Amazing Weaves provide the opportunities to local artisans and entrepreneurs to reach bigger markets.
“Thank you for creating platforms that bring our local artisans and entrepreneurs closer to bigger markets and opportunities,” Olaso said.
Olaso described the program as an example of how culture and commerce can work together to promote inclusive economic growth and turn traditional skills into sustainable livelihoods.
The mayor said he had wanted to personally welcome Ukrainian Ambassador Yuliia Fediv, but was unable to fully attend because of another engagement in New York promoting Zamboanga City as a tourism destination among Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.
He nevertheless made an appearance at the event and wore traditional-inspired attire as a gesture of support for the local weaving communities.
Meanwhile, Fediv drew parallels between the weaving and embroidery traditions of the Philippines and Ukraine, saying traditional crafts can preserve identity and provide hope amid conflict and displacement.
Fediv said the event’s theme, “Weaving Peace,” reflects the experience of Ukrainian women who turned to embroidery and other traditional crafts to preserve their cultural heritage after being displaced by war.
“For Ukraine, it describes something very real—the belief that pieces of cloth, especially those made by hand, can carry the story of a community that has chosen to keep building,” Fediv said.
She noted that Ukrainian women displaced by the war have recreated traditional embroidery patterns using old photographs, memories of elders and surviving pieces of fabric.
“Stitch by stitch, thread by thread, they rebuilt the visual identity of their communities so that the traditions of those places would not disappear,” she said.
Fediv cited the vyshyvanka, Ukraine’s traditional embroidered clothing, as an example of how cultural traditions have also become a source of livelihood and support for communities affected by the war.
She also highlighted the Crimean Tatars, Ukraine’s indigenous Muslim people, whose traditional Ornek ornamental system has survived generations of displacement.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) inscribed Ornek on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.
Fediv said the Ukrainian experience is similar to that of communities in Mindanao that have preserved their cultural traditions despite displacement and conflict, including the Yakan people of Basilan.
She said weaving and embroidery are more than livelihood activities, as they carry memory, identity, resilience and hope.
“When people continue to weave, stitch and create, they are saying something powerful: we are still here, our identity remains, and we will continue to build peace together,” Fediv said.
The regional awards brought together weaving communities, government agencies, business groups and other partners in an effort to strengthen traditional crafts while opening wider domestic and international markets for local artisans.
Meanwhile, SM City Zamboanga Mall Manager Aileen Ann Enriquez expressed heartfelt gratitude to WomenBizPH for entrusting them with the honor of hosting the prestigious event.
“Your unwavering commitment to empowering women, supporting artisans, and promoting inclusive economic growth inspires all of us to continue creating opportunities where culture and entrepreneur flourish together,” Enriquez said.
She said they believe that SM City Zamboanga are more than places for commerce, emphasizing the establishment serves as spaces where communities connect, culture are celebrated, and meaningful stories are shared.
“We are proud to support initiatives that preserve Filipino heritage, empower local communities, and provide platforms where traditional craftsmanship can be appreciated by new generations,” she added. (SunStar Zamboanga)