Tags: Cottage Industries, Handicrafts
By Anna Valmero
SAN JUAN CITY, METRO MANILA— For Roman Sansano, helping to preserve endearing Filipino customs and traditions is one tough job he enjoys.
Roman works at the Balikatan sa Kaunlaran Productivity Center National Foundation (BSK) crafting Filipiniana dolls to promote unique and forgotten Filipino customs for local and foreign tourists.
BSK started in 2005 and has been tapping out-of-school youth and housewives in San Juan for livelihood projects.
Previously, BSK creates dioramas for local museums and exhibits in Marikina, Valenzuela, Olongapo and Pinaglabanan. The limited market for dioramas made the nonprofit group to look into creating fashionable Filipiniana dolls, similar to Japanese ningyo dolls, the closest of which are the geisha dolls.
Creating a Maria Clara doll usually takes a day or two, depending on the design of the overall costume, particularly the cloth for the dress and accessories ranging from necklaces, earrings, payoneta (hair comb) and abaniko (fan).
Aside from getting their costume fabrics from Divisoria, the group also gets abaca and other fine Filipino fabrics from local designer Patis Tesoro. They also have a group that crafts doll accessories.
Among the dolls, the 24-inch kasalan (wedding) is the most popular design. The Maria Clara doll is happily escorted by her groom; its wedding gown is as elaborate as the gowns worn during actual weddings, with piña silk fabric designed with fine embroidery and bead artwork.
For Moro-inspired dolls, they double the effort to design the clothing based on actual attire of Muslim royalties in Mindanao while they also find it interesting to design dolls for cultural tribes such as the Kalingas, Ifugao and others.
There are also everyday sights such as a lady selling vegetables in the market while wearing a matching baro’t saya and a girl peddling bangus fish on a bilao atop her head, the beauty of which rival the extravagance of dolls attending the Flores De Mayo parade, another local festival.
Roman is well versed on all procedures of doll making, namely molding of the doll’s head and hands, creating a doll body from paper mache, painting the doll and creation of period dresses.
“We know every step of the process in doll making to ensure continuity of work. This makes the group more efficient as well because we do not need to delay work when the craftsman for the next step is unavailable.”
The BSK Filipiniana dolls cost from 1,200 to 7,500 pesos for the 12-inch to 18-inch dolls, while cost for a set composed of two and more dolls starts at 3,500 pesos and above depending on the design.
“I am happy that I am part of a goal to preserve and promote our local customs and traditions. I hope that more Filipino doll collectors and interior designers will consider including these beautiful dolls at their homes because it is uniquely Pinoy and it helps locals like us to have jobs,” says Roman.
Get more information about Balikatan sa Kaunlaran Productivity Center National Foundation
Related stories:
This Muslim doll designer seeks to promote Maranao culture
Passion and nostalgia bind these doll collectors as a group
Youth group promotes doll-making for a cause
Paranaque dollmakers preserve traditions of ‘sunduan’ and ‘komedya’
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