MEDIUM RARE 

To those unfamiliar with the national language – is it Tagalog, Pilipino, or Filipino? – not that I’m an expert, but those of us who speak the street lingo know that “nakaka” is a prefix in the superlative degree. Hence, “nakakalokal” in translation would mean going super ga-ga over our proudly-made-in-PH products.

Today being the seventh day of September, the first of the “ber” months, there’s still time to think about saving for the shoppingest season. My resolution this year, energized by recent visits to Kultura at SM, Rustan’s Filipiniana corner, Robinsons’ Tahanan section and the small but intriguing Papemelroti of the Alejandro family is to go “loka” (loco) over local.

All the reasons are there. Ingenious designs. Colorful materials. Craftsmanship appealing to the eye and touch, even heart-tugging. Something about the raw materials used – reeds, weeds, weaves, shells – reminds the buyer of childhood, when toys were made of innocent stuff like paper, recycled buttons and bows. Nothing high-tech here, everything pretty and folksy, what’s not to like?

There’s only one drawback. Why are made-in-the-Philippines products more expensive than they need to be?

I’m not the only one who thinks so; Senator Nancy Binay concurred with that opinion once upon a time, when we met at a bazaar years ago. (Her sister, Makati Mayor Abby Binay, was at the same fair, and I bet if I had asked her what she thought of the pricing, she would in most likelihood agree.) The reasons seem fairly obvious, if unfair. When you say local, the term is usually applied to handmade goods – embroidered, woven, beaded, appliqued. Machines could do the same work, but handmade makes everything that much more precious.

It’s nine months late, but I’m resolved to concentrate my Christmas shopping on those stores mentioned above. Strangely, whenever I browse at Kultura and Papemelroti, I don’t see foreigners in groups gawking at their goodies.

Aside from Rep. Tof de Venecia and Sen. Sonny Angara waving the banner for “Tatak Pinoy” merchandise with their bills, something more could be done by way of encouraging travel agencies, hotels and restaurants, airlines and cruise liners to include visits to our friendly shops as a highlight of their clients’ visits. Women don’t need a reason to shop, local and global – nakakalokal!