BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Creative City Council is hoping to revive the city’s silver craft industry amid challenges, including dwindling artisans and limited access to raw materials.
“It is good if we can have a bubbly silver craft industry just like in the past because it is one of the industries associated with Baguio,” Marie Venus Tan, co-chairperson of the Baguio Creative City Council, said in a media interview Friday.
Tan said only two silver craft shops — Pilak Silvercraft and Gift Shoppe and Tawid Silver — remain in Baguio, with both facing difficulties in sourcing raw materials because their products are associated with mining.
She said the number of artists and artisans skilled in silver crafting is also declining.
Both shops have begun adapting to changes in the business landscape, including by offering experiences that allow customers to learn about and participate in the craft.
Pilak Silvercraft, for instance, has started offering experiential tourism activities where customers can make their own jewelry, including wedding rings, Tan said.
The shop is also considering accreditation as a learning site for people interested in learning silver crafting, she said.
Romar Agpes, senior technical education and skills development specialist of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Benguet, which also covers Baguio City, said the agency offers scholarships and training programs that industries can tap to upgrade workers’ skills or develop a pool of skilled workers.
“Now that we know we have silver craft shops that are interested in providing skills, we will coordinate with them so that a module can be prepared,” Agpes said in a phone interview Friday.
He said previous efforts to develop silver craft training, including coordination with silver mineral miners, did not push through.
Agpes said TESDA is confident that silver crafting can eventually be included in its skills training programs to help sustain the industry.
Baguio Tourism Council chairperson Gladys Vergara said the council is also working to revive traditional industries in the city, including silver crafting, as part of efforts to preserve local heritage while creating opportunities for younger generations.
Woodcraft and leather footwear crafting are also among the traditional industries being considered for revival, she said. **Liza Agoot
