Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1631

Introduced by: HON. “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide for the development and protection of the Philippine
handloom Weaving Industry as it is now on the decline and its very existence is
threatened by the influx of cheap imported textile products.

Handloom weaving is an art practiced in the Philippines over generations. It is one
of the leading handicraft industries in the Philippines and considered as a traditional craft
in a number of regions in the country. Up until the last century. It was a household
activity to meet family need and was not organized as a commercial industry. Over time,
villages in the various regions developed their own traditions surrounding their craft. The
different colors, techniques and symbolism represented their heritage and way of life

The legacy of hand woven textiles emanated from the Philippine ancestral tribes as
part of their culture and family history handed down from generation to generation
While it is an ancient tradition, its intent as a livelihood activity has waned among the
new generation because of specialized and time-consuming techniques that cannot meet
the demands of commercial production.

It has great potential as an industry because it is labor intensive and utilizes
indigenous materials such as abaca, raffia, pineapple, buri and other plants used as source
for fabrics. Different regions and ethnic groups use their own kind of loom that is utilized
in their woven products. They take pride in using material that are famously associated
with their land.

In the early 20" century, handloom weaving became a thriving industry, but was
paralyzed by the Second World War. After the war, the decline of the cotton industry and
the flood of cheap imported textiles severely damaged the handloom weaving industry.
Today, there is a renewed effort to recognize and value this ancient craft not only for its
commercial value but more importantly for its cultural value as it is part of the very rich
Filipino cultural heritage that must be preserved and protected.

In view of the foregoing. Approval of this bill is earnestly sought,
J
/

“KUYA” JOSE ANTOMO R. SY-ALVARADO k
Representative
irst District of Bulacan


Republic of the Philippine

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1631

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION OF THE
PHILIPPINE HANDLOOM WEAVING INDUSTRY

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Handloom Weaving
Industry Development Act”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to instill patriotism and
nationalism among the people, especially in education system, who shall at all times be loyal
to the Republic and the Filipino people, promote the preferential use of locally manufactured
goods that utilize local resources and technologies, celebrate the culture and heritage of the
country through the adoption of measures to elevate its value and prestige and thus generate
wider employment and inclusive greater growth for the country by preserving and nurturing
handloom weaving activities thus in turn and nurtures the textile culture and heritage of our
people.

SECTION 3. Definitions of Terms.

a) Handloom is a device used in weaving fabrics by holding the warp threads under
tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads.
b) Handloom-women fabric is woven using a handloom.
c) Handloom weaving industries composed of the interrelated and interconnected
component supply chain realizing the production of textiles through the handloom.
Neo-ethnic Philippines Textiles are made of on contain natural or indigenous
materials, sources and/or produced in the Philippines using updated, relevant, and
green scientific and technological approaches and innovations; while integrating
and/or retaining traditional patterns, design, icons, modif and/or approaches, and thus,
contribute to livelihood generation and in sustaining the local handloom weaving and
textile heritage.

d


SECTION 4, Establishment of the National Handloom Weaving Development Council.
‘The National Handloom Weaving Development Council shall be composed of the following;
‘A) Head of the Philippine Textile Research Institute of the Department of Science and
Technology as Chair of the Council
B) Head of the Garments and Textile Industry Development Office of the Development
Of Trade and Industry as Co-Chair.
C) Head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as Member
D) Head of the National Commission on Indigenous People as Member.
E) Head of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Office of the
President as Member.
F) Head of the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority of the Department of
Agriculture as Member.
G) Representative of the handloom weaving industry association as Member.

“TION 5. National Handloom Weaving Industry Development Policy. The Council
shall formulate one (1) year after it is created, the National Handloom Weaving Industry
Development Policy. This shall include but not limited to:

a) Formulation of the Handloom Weaving Industry Roadmap,

b). Innovations on handloom design and engineering.

¢) Technical support mechanism for sustainable handloom weaving activities

d) Development and promotion of neo-ethnic Philippine textiles.

e) Development of Philippines Standards for Handloom Woven Textiles

f) Intellectual property protection framework for textiles.

2) Development of Textile-related Technical and Skills and Vocational Education
and training.

‘The Council shall implement and monitor the measures to enable the Policy.

SECTION 6. Appropriations. The amount of fifty million pesos (PHP 50,000,000.00) is
hereby authorized from the National Treasury for the initial implementation of this Act.
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
appropriated as a distinct and separate item.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Director of the Philippine Textile Research Institute of the
Department of Science and Technology, in coordination with the Garment and Textile
Industry Development Office of the Department of Trade and Industry, the National
Commission on Culture and the Arts, the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority of the Department of
Agriculture, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting,

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with
the proyisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.


SECTION 10, Effectivit
publication in at least

jause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
(2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,
if