Sunflower Basket Remembered

21 years ago, a young boy who loves to roam in his town’s countryside dreamt of turning agricultural farm leftovers into revenue and livelihood.  With a liberal and artistic inclination he created a design and corroborated with local craftsmen to finally transform coconut husks and some indigenous materials into a work of art.  They called it sunflower basket.

Playful and bullish in his dream, he then brought the sunflower basket to higher ground.  A local Jaycee member, he then pushed sunflower basket as a Jaycee project which will provide jobs for his corroborators and potential local industry for the people of Nagcarlan. 

Sourcing for some market appreciation, the Sunflower basket landed on Manila FAME at the CITEM’s National exposition of products.  Sunflower basket was adopted by an exporting firm, Adorica International and included in their product collection hopeful to gain some international market reception. 

Amazingly, American and European markets adored the Sunflower basket.  A breakthrough for its uniqueness and exotic identity, Sunflower basket become a winner at Manila FAME Katha Award and grabbed the major award at 1992 Golden Shell Award of Excellence.  Sunflower basket was launched into instant stardom.

With 30,000 sets initial orders coming from Europe and America, the Sunflower basket truly gave more than enough opportunities to the town folks of Nagcarlan.  Succeeding months proved to be more favorable with more international orders which the town folks eventually cannot accommodate anymore.

To cope with flooding orders coming from abroad, Adorica International extended production source from nearby provinces of Quezon, Rizal, Batangas and Mindoro. This young boy has signed up in the company as Product Developer and taught techniques in making Sunflower baskets.

And the rest was history…..Sunflower basket was a big hit and has given income opportunities to its people. 

The boy, the sunflower basket and the livelihood it brought to the town of Nagcarlan.

Orders of the Sunflower baskets finally ended 1997.

  

F.A.M.E.    -           Fashion and Accessories Market Exposition

CITEM       -           Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions

Hiking the Lantau Trail Stages 5 & 6

Just about the same time last year we did a really nice walk in Lantau so we repeated the same on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009.  There were several nice hills and not an ounce of concrete on the trails.  

With a slightly getting-warmer weather and maximum height of 490 meters, technically this is a two booter, but quite a tough one.  The walk is about 15-18 kilometres and has few good ascents.  At the beginning, the trail was relatively flat walk hugging the coast.  Then we headed inland and hiked over the hills towards Man Cheun Po and further.

Twenty four trail walkers turned up at the meeting point. We took a bus to Tai O and luckily did not do the prison tour so by 12 noon we were on the trail.  We huffed and puffed our way up the hills and stopped for a short lunch just below the summit.  We did a short detour to the Flying Dragon via a monastery.  It was a beautiful day with blue skies and few clouds with the temperatures just about perfect.  This part of the Lantau trail meanders around from one summit to the next with clear views of Lantau Peak. 

We reached Sham Wat Road around 4:30pm and several trail walkers left.  Three decided that they would make a head start with the beers at the lovely Stoep seaside restaurant while 8 of us continued to Ngong Ping.  The trail is usually an easy 1 hour uphill hike or that’s what the elders sold to the newbies – yeah right!  Trail walkers hike is incomplete if we don’t get scratches or get muddy of bush whack.  The government has closed the trail due to recent landslides and this made the trail really exciting.  At several places the trail is totally washed away and we had to make our way over loose rocks.  At one point, Elise decided to demonstrate how to sit in various impossible positions for 15 minutes on a tiny precipitous ledge.  The view in the evening light was glorious with the sun coming down over the hills.

We capped the recent Lantau hike and a perfect hiking day with a fantastic meal at the Stoep.

"...Lupang hinirang, dugay ka sa Mt. Guiting......"

April 8-15, 2010
Sibuyan Island, Romblon












Manong Lee, Mt. Guiting-Guiting saw toothed peaks, Ambulong port, Montenegro Lines, Princess Anavel, Balinghoy, Lambingan falls, Dorado-bato-yellow fin tuna, Sanctuary gardens, otek, mango orchard, Dalipe pool, swimming sa Dam, dulangan mines, Agojo trees, España, hitched black Navarra pick-up, tropa ni Toto, Cataja falls, jampacked tricycle ride, Gin bilog, TNF sa brgy. Tampayan, G2 summit, 2058 masl, Lumbay leaves, Camps 123, Tansiongco Bakery, ground orchid, kinilaw na langka, Bulod Spring, Mayo’s Peak, clear morning sky, knife edge, camel back, Bingo snacks on trail, Kiss the wall, 5-course breakfast, mommy Vic’s birthday, peak of deception, crying Acero, rock climbing, Mabel Spring, black & red mushrooms, San Fernando, limatik, banana con ielo, ropemanship course, siesta by the river, Regala forwarding services, Cantingas falls, monay with hamburger dressing, Palawena Pera Padala, Sibuyan sunset, Rapal Shipping lines, Jordan & Menchu, Christian at Gelo, Montesa of Sn. Agustin, marble quarts, malamig spring, heart of the Philippine Islands: “lupang hinirang....dugay ka sa Mt. Guiting”