Calapan College opens store for Mangyan products

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Divine Word College of Calapan (DWCC) is opening a campus-based store selling Mangyan-made handicrafts and indigenous products on Thursday (Oct. 22), as part of its celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Month.

The store, named BUNGA, aims to promote the craftsmanship of indigenous Mangyan communities while providing support for their livelihoods through the sale of their handmade products.

READ: Mangyan culture bearers feted for preserving old crafts, songs

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The DWCC Community Extension Services Office invites the public to visit the store at the college’s main campus and support Mangyan artisans by purchasing their products, which include baskets, bayong (woven bags), brooms, ramit (traditional woven textiles), and other indigenous crafts.

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“Every time you buy our product, you help alleviate others’ lives,” said Fr. Ross Heruela, SVD, Director of the Community Extension Services Office.

The initiative highlights the cultural value of Mangyan handicrafts and seeks to help preserve indigenous traditions and skills while creating livelihood opportunities for their makers.

The store’s opening will coincide with the Indigenous Peoples Summit 2026, organized by DWCC’s Community Extension Services in celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Month.

The summit, themed “Katutubong Sining at Likhang-Kamay: Yamang-Mana, Ipamana,” will be held at the DWCC gymnasium from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., where about 1,500 from the province are expected to participate, said Fr.  Heruela.

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The program will feature a keynote address by Dr. Emmanuel Guarde, the first Alangan Mangyan from Mindoro to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education and a recipient of the 2026 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos award.

There will be a panel discussion on indigenous peoples’ concerns, and cultural performances by the DWCC Indayog Folkloric Dance Troupe, the Mangyan Student Organization and the DWCC Dance Company.

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Resource persons for the panel discussion include Fr. Judy Banez, DWCC vice president for administration; Pino Aranzado, an Iraya Mangyan teacher from Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Melinda F. Angeles, a Tadyawan public school teacher and an IP Ed Coordinator in West Naujan.

The summit seeks to highlight indigenous peoples’ cultural heritage, artistic skills and traditional knowledge, underscoring the importance of passing these traditions on to future generations.

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Through BUNGA, DWCC is encouraging the public to translate appreciation for Mangyan culture into direct support for indigenous artisans and their communities. /jpv