Bgry. Agdaliran, San Dionisio, Iloilo after Yolanda…

Opportunity in the Face of Adversity

Hopeless, homeless. Maybe these words were not enough to describe Brgy. Agdaliran, San Dionisio a barangay in northern Iloilo the day after Typhoon Yolanda.

Barangay Agdaliran’s landscape  once dotted with coconut trees was flattened. While a few coconut trees survived the wrath of Yolanda, it would  take years for these trees to recover, resulting in the loss of sustenance for the bulk of the people in the community.

Meanwhile, in  Bacolod City, Negros Occidental,  Tumandok Crafts Industries owned and managed by Joji Locsin, maker of home furniture and furnishings, was deep in quest for fresh product lines she would uncover at the 29th Negros Trade Fair. The Fair exhibitors this year are encouraged to share in the blessings of the event to Filipinos badly affected by the calamities, as well as those living in poor communities needing livelihood assistance.

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Fortunately for Brgy. Agdaliran, a project to build 155 houses started to grind from the money donated by the nuns of Sievas de Maria Ministros de Los Enfermos.What a coincidence  for Tumandok, the project director for this housing project was its former Operations Manager/ Designer, Carlos Lanuza. And this is where the opportunity begins. Agdaliran badly needs support, and Tumandok can always use more local materials available in the village and craftsmen as well.

And this is where the opportunity begins. Agdaliran badly needs support, and Tumandok can always use more local materials available in the village and craftsmen as well.

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It got out very easy for Joji and Carlos to push the opportunity together as both of them were playing on the same vision – to help people in penury. The discarded coco slabs which were not used for housing were turned into valuable handicraft materials. These excess parts of coco lumber from the project in Agdaliran   were used as  the main raw material for the Haiyan Collection of Tumandok Crafts Industries. The Haiyan Collection includes tables, lamps, trays, and photograph frames. Some of the coco lumber came in narrow strips, but now stands tall as the defining design element of the Haiyan Tube Lamp. An added component like capiz shells were added to make the collection more visually attractive.   Indeed, Tumandok’s  designers and artisans  possess the eye to see opportunity in the face of adversity.

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The Haiyan Collection will not be an end for the livelihood opportunities for the people of  Agdaliran. It continues to be a work in progress. Joji said if this collection will be a success in the market it would mean more employment for the people in the community.

Tumandok   plans to establish a processing workshop in the barangay, seek out other sustainable indigenous materials, train the locals in processing, and take up a new livelihood, she added. The market’s response to the initial project of Tumandok will surely influence that decision. Indeed, there can be an opportunity in the face of adversity.

65 Comments

  1. Belinda Siason-Villa

    As businessmen, we are not only focusing for the income we will earn but at the same time to help and share it to others. LCCBEntrep

  2. Editho S. Mapa

    Very creative and Talented people. Tumandok crafts it a great designed # Lcc entrep

  3. Bethel Joy Virata

    Entrepreneurship will be more meaningful when you begin to share your expertise especially in creating livelihood for others. Thumbs up! #LCCBentrepreneurship

  4. Jasmine Grace Dominguez

    Such wonderful works of art 🙂 Hope I can visit their store….

    #LCCBEntrepreneurshiop

  5. Mary grace fermo

    Its amazing what you can do with cut outs & excess materials, Tumandok has made a good job.Congratulations for the creative people behind the design. Job well done.LCCBenterpreneurship

  6. I salute Tumandok Crafts Industries for reaching out to lighten the burden of our fellow Illonggos.

  7. angelyncaharian@yahoo.com

    Great collections and designs! Great job for sharing your talents and reaching out to them . You’ve made them whole again and giving hope …

  8. John Edward Q. Yong

    It is disappointing that during times of calamities, we hear reports of misuse of funds intended for the victims. These entrepreneurs do not even receive funding to help yet they create wonderful opportunities for affected communities. Remarkable! #LCCBentrepreneurship

  9. Leah M. Francisco

    I commend Mr. Joji and Mr. Carlos for bringing an opportunity, giving hope and a bright future to the people of Bgry. Agdaliran San Dionisio, Iloilo. It is such a benevolent act. #LCCBenterp

  10. Aileen Casandra

    Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
    -Maimonides

    By this project, they were able to give new hopes to the people.

  11. Glaiza Mae P. Acuña

    Great designs! We brought our guests here when I was still in college.And they’re really amazed by the quality of the products.Proud Negrense here. #LCCBentrep

  12. There’s a rainbow always after the rain. This is a brilliant idea.

  13. Nicar Corral Nogra

    WoRld class creations. I would like to visit your shop.

    #LCCBEntreprenuership

  14. Carina Makiling

    I hope more people will put up businesses with a great cause, earning and at the same time helping. #LCCBentrepreneurship

  15. Anne Reyes

    More beautiful than these products is the purpose behind it. Great ,great cause….I will help in promoting these products too 🙂

  16. This is an amazing which needs to be supported. This place in Iloilo has not fully recovered yet. I hope more people shall buy these products. I will help in my own little way to promote these products 🙂

  17. I have seen how Iloilo was affected by Yolanda…I am so happy that with the company like Tumandok has thought of creating products which can benefit people from the community.Kudos to Tumandok, lets continue to spread this good news.

    • Yes, Tumandok Company has been so faithful of their corporate social responsibility. Recently, they joined the Manila Fame show at SMX hoping to get more orders for export. Which means that for each order they’ve got it would mean jobs for the people in various communities.

  18. I am impressed with the designs of Tumandok.But most importantly I like the story behind the products.I will share this with my friends:)Congratulations Tumandok, you are very inspiring 🙂

  19. We’ve seen the place after the typhoon and it was bad.Thanks God for this move.

    • Yes, the place were flattened and many were jobless afterwards. That’s why companies like Tumandok can be of good help if their products will also prosper in the market.:)

  20. These are such great products. I specially like the lamps and the containers.

    • Indeed Peachy!Tumandok Crafts are really known for their good quality products. I hope that this collection will really prosper for the sake of the community.

  21. Very creative and beautiful designs indeed. Makes me want to grab them…Lol

  22. creating jobs is indeed a good deed to help others who’s searching for job

  23. I have forwarded this post to my friends, especially those who can afford, so that each time they buy they can help this community. I also encourage others to do the same:)

  24. I love they craft furniture as their way of living. For sure, all of it are durable and of high quality.

  25. i have already heard your name and your great designs during masskara festival from a travel partner agency there in bacolod. i learned about your positive causes as well. so i am not surprised for coming up with this. i hope this is a success.

  26. Wow, that lamp is something I’ll purchase since it matches my house’s theme.

  27. Instead of becoming job seeker we must need to become job creator…so that we can help many peoples.

  28. Wonderful materials for a great cause.

  29. It makes me happy to know that the bayanihan spirit is still very much alive in our time. What I love about the initiatives is done is that it was more than money that was donated – there’s hope and at the same time, the help provided is supposed to help the people really rise up and move forward. PS. Love the lamp, by the way.

  30. What a great cause. I have also been a correspondent for another NGO and they sent me to Tacloban. For what it's worth, Yolanda brought an opportunity for us to take a look at the welfare of our provinces in the Visayas.

  31. I hope the collection would be a big hit so it can help more people recover from the typhoon.

  32. Great advocacy they have! And seeing their creation is overwhelming. May God bless them both and more people will be blessed by them.

  33. the design is really beautiful. I hope they’ll exhibit this in Manila Fame and in the Philippine International Furniture Show . This would attract a lot of potential buyers.

    Cheers~!
    Justin

  34. I like that they are helping and also tapping barangay for employment.

  35. Creating jobs is a great way to help people in need. A good cause for us to help like this one. Moreover, more opportunities are generated these days by people who nurtured life as beautiful.

  36. I got the lamps which I gave to my sister as a gift. Her husband decided to get more from the collection upon learning the story of Yolanda behind the products.

  37. Recovery from calamities becomes faster when there are people who see the opportunities in adversity. well done.

  38. It would be great if the collections, crafts & designs reach the trade in Manila.

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