December 8, 2023

RIZAL, Kalinga – The province’s silk weaving industry is shaping up with the growing operation of Kalinga State University’s (KSU) Silk Innovation Center here.

A joint venture of The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute and KSU, the center was launched on April 29, 2022 under KSU’s sericulture project aimed at creating new income opportunities for the communities.

It has started producing silk threads ready to be tapped as raw material source to local weavers.  

Weaving is one of the province’s booming industries. Kalinga registered the highest number of the country’s weavers at 21 percent.  

Silk, which used to be an imported material, is now a local resource from the 10-hectare facility of mulberry farm and silk worm cages at KSU.

Aside from the trade benefit, the silk center looms as favorite tourist attraction being a new and rare sight to people.    

The silk filature facility here is among the country’s 11 silk centers and the first in North Luzon. – Larry L. Lopez