MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The municipal government of Bangar, La Union has been addressing the preservation of its inabel industry, which is being challenged by the aging population of loom weavers, through various interventions.

Public Employment Service Officer Rodrigo Sarmiento Jr., in a phone interview on Saturday, said there are 600 loom weavers in the town, 20 percent to 30 percent of whom are now elderly.

"Encouraging the young remains a challenge," he said.

Abel is the Ilocano word for "weave" or the act of weaving, while inabel refers to the finished handwoven cloth.

Among the efforts of the local government and the provincial government of La Union to sustain the industry is the establishment of a three-day training via the Abel Academy: School of Living Traditions Nogueras Weaving in Bangar in 2024, and forming the Young Loomweavers Association of Bangar (YLAB) to safeguard and promote the tradition.

The program immersed participants in the traditional craft of handloom weaving, providing them with hands-on training under the guidance of experienced and skilled cultural bearers who introduced foundational techniques, including beginner weaving and operating the traditional loom, known locally as tillar, according to the Provincial Information Office.

The training course not only equipped the participants with practical weaving skills but also fostered a deeper appreciation for the historical and cultural significance of the industry.

Phil Marie Lucina, elected president of the organization, said in an earlier interview that they fully support the preservation of abel products in the province.

"Super ganda kaya nararapat na maabutan pa ito ng next generation. Kailangan ma-preserve ito kasi gusto namin magpatuloy pa ito (It is really beautiful, so the next generation should be able to see and experience this. We need to preserve it because we want it to continue)," she said.

Lucina said the members of the organization are weavers, and the training course by the provincial government, through the Tourism Office, boosted their knowledge and appreciation of the industry.

"We are thinking of innovating products that are in the present trend. We wanted to deviate from the common products, such as blankets and pillowcases, and instead innovate with hats, headbands, and even dresses," she said in Filipino.

Sarmiento said they prioritized out-of-school youths, but students are also encouraged to undergo the training at the Abel Academy.

However, it was not continued in 2025 due to a lack of enrollees.

"We actually wanted it to be part of the curriculum of the Department of Education. But we just don't know if we are lacking in the paper, or it's just that we don't know what are the technicalities that we can do. But since we have a special program for the arts in the senior high school, we wanted it to be part of the curriculum," he said.

The local government also helps in the marketing of products.

"We see to it that yearly, we provide assistance. And recently, with the help of national government agencies, we also have training on how to come up with other souvenir items that are made out of abel," he said.

Sarmiento said Bangar's inabel products, such as blankets, hats, bags, and even wearable clothes, adapt to the weather. (PNA)