Filed under: The Livelihood Program
The bags are completely sewed and printed by my neighbors in San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas. I started with one mananahi (sewer), Aling Guring, who is the wife of our carpenter, and who makes minor sewing jobs for me regularly. I am blessed to have Aling Guring as she has taken on the job of distributing the work to other women in the barangay, training them as necessary, and acting as quality controller. Providing them with work has been very fulfilling as these women are either already mananahis with nothing to sew (they get sewing jobs only in June when school opens), or are learning to sew for the first time. They are otherwise unemployed women married to fishermen or laborers, who now take pride in being productive and earning additional income for their families.
Aling Guring
Aling Guring and I are still figuring out the most efficient way of producing the bags while ensuring quality. It’s been a challenge since the women have household chores to do and kids to take care of. We can’t do factory-line style where each sewer only does one task, i.e. one cuts only, one makes the straps, one sews the bag together, etc- since the women live far away from each other (some live up in the mountains and some by the beach).
The mananahis showing off the bags they sew.
The silk screen printing is done by Richard and King. Richard is a public school teacher and preacher from neighboring Malimatok, who prints the bags at night &/or weekends. King is a tricycle driver who prints after the day’s trips. Richard and King are training their friends/neighbors how to silk screen to spread the work.
King picking up bags for printing. The child is Bryan, my caretaker’s son.
As of today, I am very happy to say that 21 families are already benefitting from this livelihood program. And Aling Guring says that more women are asking her to give them more bags to sew or teach them how to sew. I can’t believe it myself!
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Hi! I just wanted to Inquire about the bags, Im Pau from Philippine Airlines. Our Dept.,will be having a travel fiesta this end of the month and we’re looking for possible give-away and i came across your bags. We wanted to inquire if its possible that you supply these totes for us.
Here is my mobile number: 0928 503-6386. Just feel free to call any time.
Appreciate you assistance. Thanxs.
Comment by Pau Banzon January 4, 2008 @ 5:10 pmAll my best wishes for your team and your work. I feel envy for I am far far away from the job. I want to mail you some Screen Printable Designs for the job . May I ?
Comment by arindam January 31, 2008 @ 8:40 amHi, am interested to request for orders to use it for our exhibit, perhaps you could give us a quotation for it? You may contact me at 09176289509. Or mail me, just text me and I’ll let you know the rest of my contact details.
Comment by Emilita Castro April 2, 2008 @ 6:59 pmHi, am interested to request for orders to use it for our exhibit, perhaps you could give us a quotation for it? You may contact me at 09176289509. Or kindly mail me, just text me and I’ll let you know the rest of my contact details.
Thanks a lot!
Comment by Emilita Castro April 2, 2008 @ 6:59 pmHi Ichay! I sent you a text recently regarding your bags and thanks so much for replying. My younger sister was gifted with one of your bags i.e. One Less Plastic Bag (design) and I fell in love with it! I went to your website and checked the designs as instructed. My gosh! You know Therese Endriga? She’s a friend of mine from Ateneo. I’m so glad that she’s helping you. Therese has brilliant sense of style, creativity and is so good with taglines. I saw from the other posts that you are entertaining resellers. Would like to help you resell but let me do this as soon as I establish a more stable schedule. My work takes me out to sites plus I have to finish my thesis. I’ll let you know when I can start reselling for you. In the meantime, I can promote and market your bags – that’s the type of help I do for my friends who are entrepreneurs or who ventured into businesses like shoes (i.e. Tenorio Manila and Gelatoe Shoes) and lingerie (i.e. Luisa Marie). They appreciate my efforts as I was able to bring more customers to them. I am glad to do so because I believe our talents or innovations bring in livelihood for those who need it most. It also hightlights the fact that our local products are good or are maybe even better than imported ones. Gosh, I think that I’ve written a novel here. Anyway, I would like to meet you as I live relatively near the Alabang-Las Piñas area and I do want to order one of your bags! The Audrey Hepburn design – one unit. Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon!
Comment by Nicole Paterno August 13, 2008 @ 4:21 pm[...] The most important thing though is that Luntian Bags continue to achieve its goal of providing livelihood to the residents of San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas- info on the livelihood program [...]
Pingback by Christmas Orders 2008 « Luntian Bags October 23, 2008 @ 6:10 pmhi! im from balayan,batangas. my father oversees the parish drug store and the marketing of the ossuary in our parish. he needs a supplier for bags for their anniversary giveaway and for bone bags. if you can find time to cover their orders kindly reach them at Botikang Batangan tel(043)2116561.thank you and God bless!
Comment by ging-ging hechanova March 3, 2009 @ 5:22 am