SP Committee on Trade Conducts Ocular Inspection, FGD in SJ Pottery Industry
By: Rhea Matilde A. Ballesteros, GPC – SP | Photos By: GPC – SP | Date: September 3, 2021
The SP Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry jointly with the Committee on Ways and Means and Committee on Laws, Rules and Privileges conducted an ocular inspection with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) at the pottery industry of Taboc, San Juan, La Union on September 3, 2021.
The inspection aimed to determine the status of the makers, producers and stall owners of pots at the said barangay and to check on the implementation of SP Resolution No. 628-2021 approving the Municipal Ordinance No. 05-2021 of the Sangguniang Bayan of San Juan, La Union, entitled: "An Ordinance Regulating the Sale of Clay Pottery Products in the Municipality of San Juan, La Union."
Present during the inspection were SPM Jonathan Justo A. Orros, Chairperson of the Committee on Trade and Industry; SPM Nancy Corazon M. Bacurnay, Chairperson of the Committee on Education and Culture; Dir. Grace F. Baluyan, Regional Director of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region I; Dir. Merlie D. Membrere, Provincial Director, DTI- La Union; Ms. Charito R. Dator, La Union Economic Enterprise and Investments Promotion Unit; and representatives of LGU San Juan, Taboc Barangay Council and the Officers and Members of the Taboc Mannamili Association.
Mr. Raymond Nachor together with the officers and members of the Taboc Mannamili Association showed the inspection team the five sites where the pots are craftically made giving brief information about the art. Likewise, one of the members of the association made a demonstration on how pots are made.
After the inspection, an FGD was conducted wherein the team shared their experiences, observations and recommendations about the activity and the industry. Among the observations were: the residents are cohesive and dedicated to make the industry thrive; there is a strong support from the component LGU and DTI, which provided machinery through their Shared Service Facilities; the industry is family-based, wherein they make pots right in their doorsteps; most potters are women and elderly; most of them make use of the traditional way of making pots, which is manually done and labor intensive; structures where they make clay pots are sporadic, not conducive and safe; and the pottery products being produced locally are of traditional designs and sizes.
Meanwhile, the members of the association also aired their sentiments particularly on the logistics, trainings, technical and financial support they needed to increase and advance their production which will eventually sustain and improve the pottery industry.
To address these gaps, the team recommended for a deeper study of the pottery industry of San Juan; establishment of a Research and Development and a more structured facility for self-reliance; strengthen the organization; conduct of product development and marketing trainings by the DTI and other agencies to make their products more competitive; and strong support and collaboration of the LGUs, national agencies and the organization.
The ocular inspection was one of the recommendations of the joint committees during their review of Municipal Ordinance No. 05-2021, of the Sangguniang Bayan of San Juan, La Union, entitled: "An Ordinance Regulating the Sale of Clay Pottery Products in the Municipality of San Juan, La Union."
