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At the Banaue Wood Carving Shop, owned and managed by Myrna Dumugdo, visitors are greeted with intricately crafted wooden souvenirs in a variety of shapes and sizes — each piece reflecting Ifugao’s rich artistry and cultural heritage.
Beyond its breathtaking rice terraces, the province of Ifugao is also renowned for its centuries-old woodcarving tradition — an art form that preserves cultural identity while sustaining livelihoods.
At the Banaue Wood Carving Shop, owned and managed by Myrna Dumugdo, visitors can find intricately designed wooden souvenirs of various shapes and sizes.
Each piece reflects the creative craftsmanship of local artisans, often inspired by cultural symbols such as the Bulol or Rice God, believed to bring abundant harvests.
Myrna’s journey into woodcarving began at the young age of 15. What started as a learned skill eventually grew into her primary source of income, especially when she started a family, “’Yung dati maliit pa, one-time pero maliit pa ang mga anak ko, kailangan meron talaga akong higher income para ma-sustain ‘yung mga pangangailangan nila. Doon na ako nagka-interest na magtayo ng sariling negosyo,” (Before, it was small, just one-time [orders]. But when my children were young, I needed a higher income to sustain their needs, so I became more interested in making and selling.)
Her dedication led her to apply for assistance under the Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD) program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), which supports micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Myrna was among the beneficiaries who received an additional ₱15,000 as business capital, “I feel happy because ‘yung last time, July na binigay nila I’m happy na I’m one of the beneficiaries. Malaki po ang naitulong kasi at least I can make more, sa halip na gawa-gawa lang sa kamay, I can produce more,” (I feel happy because last July, when the assistance was given, I was grateful to be one of the beneficiaries. It has helped me a lot because now I can produce more — instead of doing everything by hand, I’m able to create more with the equipment I have.)
Through this support, Myrna was able to acquire new equipment for her shop, including a compressor, which boosted her production capacity. Her wooden creations are not only sold locally but have also reached international markets, with some pieces already making their way to Taiwan.
Expressing her gratitude, Myrna said, “Through your office, the Office of the Vice President, it helps us a lot because at least the amount you gave us was used to purchase what I really need. And then it helps me a lot because I can do more, I can produce more, so that I could also help those other stores where there is demand — I can supply.”
With the support of OVP’s MTD program, artisans like Myrna continue to sustain their families while keeping Ifugao’s woodcarving tradition alive for generations to come.
At the Banaue Wood Carving Shop, owned and managed by Myrna Dumugdo, visitors can find intricately designed wooden souvenirs of various shapes and sizes.
Each piece reflects the creative craftsmanship of local artisans, often inspired by cultural symbols such as the Bulol or Rice God, believed to bring abundant harvests.
Myrna’s journey into woodcarving began at the young age of 15. What started as a learned skill eventually grew into her primary source of income, especially when she started a family, “’Yung dati maliit pa, one-time pero maliit pa ang mga anak ko, kailangan meron talaga akong higher income para ma-sustain ‘yung mga pangangailangan nila. Doon na ako nagka-interest na magtayo ng sariling negosyo,” (Before, it was small, just one-time [orders]. But when my children were young, I needed a higher income to sustain their needs, so I became more interested in making and selling.)
Her dedication led her to apply for assistance under the Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD) program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), which supports micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Myrna was among the beneficiaries who received an additional ₱15,000 as business capital, “I feel happy because ‘yung last time, July na binigay nila I’m happy na I’m one of the beneficiaries. Malaki po ang naitulong kasi at least I can make more, sa halip na gawa-gawa lang sa kamay, I can produce more,” (I feel happy because last July, when the assistance was given, I was grateful to be one of the beneficiaries. It has helped me a lot because now I can produce more — instead of doing everything by hand, I’m able to create more with the equipment I have.)
Through this support, Myrna was able to acquire new equipment for her shop, including a compressor, which boosted her production capacity. Her wooden creations are not only sold locally but have also reached international markets, with some pieces already making their way to Taiwan.
Expressing her gratitude, Myrna said, “Through your office, the Office of the Vice President, it helps us a lot because at least the amount you gave us was used to purchase what I really need. And then it helps me a lot because I can do more, I can produce more, so that I could also help those other stores where there is demand — I can supply.”
With the support of OVP’s MTD program, artisans like Myrna continue to sustain their families while keeping Ifugao’s woodcarving tradition alive for generations to come.
Higit pa sa tanyag na hagdang-hagdánang palayan, kilala rin ang lalawigan ng Ifugao sa kanilang sinaunang tradisyon ng woodcarving—isang sining na hindi lamang nagbibigay-kabuhayan kundi nagpapanatili rin ng kanilang kultura at pagkakakilanlan.
Sa Banaue Wood Carving Shop na pag-aari at pinamamahalaan ni Myrna Dumugdo, makikita ang iba’t ibang disenyong likhang-kamay na kahoy, mula maliliit na souvenir hanggang mas malalaking obra.
Bawat piraso ay sumasalamin sa malikhaing galing ng mga lokal na manlililok, kadalasang hango sa mga simbolo ng kultura gaya ng Bulol o Rice God na pinaniniwalaang nagdadala ng masaganang ani.
Nagsimula si Myrna sa pag-uukit noong siya ay 15 taong gulang pa lamang. Ang simpleng kasanayan ay kalauna’y naging pangunahing pinagkakakitaan lalo na nang siya’y nagkapamilya. “’Yung dati maliit pa, one-time pero maliit pa ang mga anak ko, kailangan meron talaga akong higher income para ma-sustain ‘yung mga pangangailangan nila. Doon na ako nagka-interest na magtayo ng sariling negosyo,” kuwento niya.
Dahil sa kanyang determinasyon, nag-apply siya sa Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD) program ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) na nagbibigay-suporta sa mga micro, small, at medium enterprises (MSMEs) sa buong bansa.
Isa si Myrna sa mga napiling benepisyaryo na nakatanggap ng ₱15,000 karagdagang puhunan. “Masaya ako kasi noong nakaraang Hulyo, nang ibinigay ito, naging isa ako sa mga napiling benepisyaryo. Malaki po ang naitulong kasi ngayon, mas marami na akong nagagawa—imbes na puro mano-mano, kaya ko nang gumawa nang mas marami gamit ang kagamitan na nabili ko,” pahayag niya.
Sa tulong ng programa, nakabili si Myrna ng karagdagang gamit para sa kanyang pagawaan, kabilang ang isang compressor na nagpalakas ng kanyang produksyon. Hindi lamang sa Pilipinas mabibili ang kanyang mga likha kundi nakararating na rin sa ibang bansa, gaya ng Taiwan.
Nagpahayag ng pasasalamat si Myrna: “Through your office, the Office of the Vice President, it helps us a lot because at least the amount you gave us was used to purchase what I really need. And then it helps me a lot because I can do more, I can produce more, so that I could also help those other stores where there is demand — I can supply.”
Sa suporta ng OVP-MTD program, patuloy na napapalakas ang kabuhayan ng mga artisan tulad ni Myrna habang nananatiling buhay ang tradisyon ng woodcarving sa Ifugao para sa susunod na henerasyon.
Sa Banaue Wood Carving Shop na pag-aari at pinamamahalaan ni Myrna Dumugdo, makikita ang iba’t ibang disenyong likhang-kamay na kahoy, mula maliliit na souvenir hanggang mas malalaking obra.
Bawat piraso ay sumasalamin sa malikhaing galing ng mga lokal na manlililok, kadalasang hango sa mga simbolo ng kultura gaya ng Bulol o Rice God na pinaniniwalaang nagdadala ng masaganang ani.
Nagsimula si Myrna sa pag-uukit noong siya ay 15 taong gulang pa lamang. Ang simpleng kasanayan ay kalauna’y naging pangunahing pinagkakakitaan lalo na nang siya’y nagkapamilya. “’Yung dati maliit pa, one-time pero maliit pa ang mga anak ko, kailangan meron talaga akong higher income para ma-sustain ‘yung mga pangangailangan nila. Doon na ako nagka-interest na magtayo ng sariling negosyo,” kuwento niya.
Dahil sa kanyang determinasyon, nag-apply siya sa Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD) program ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) na nagbibigay-suporta sa mga micro, small, at medium enterprises (MSMEs) sa buong bansa.
Isa si Myrna sa mga napiling benepisyaryo na nakatanggap ng ₱15,000 karagdagang puhunan. “Masaya ako kasi noong nakaraang Hulyo, nang ibinigay ito, naging isa ako sa mga napiling benepisyaryo. Malaki po ang naitulong kasi ngayon, mas marami na akong nagagawa—imbes na puro mano-mano, kaya ko nang gumawa nang mas marami gamit ang kagamitan na nabili ko,” pahayag niya.
Sa tulong ng programa, nakabili si Myrna ng karagdagang gamit para sa kanyang pagawaan, kabilang ang isang compressor na nagpalakas ng kanyang produksyon. Hindi lamang sa Pilipinas mabibili ang kanyang mga likha kundi nakararating na rin sa ibang bansa, gaya ng Taiwan.
Nagpahayag ng pasasalamat si Myrna: “Through your office, the Office of the Vice President, it helps us a lot because at least the amount you gave us was used to purchase what I really need. And then it helps me a lot because I can do more, I can produce more, so that I could also help those other stores where there is demand — I can supply.”
Sa suporta ng OVP-MTD program, patuloy na napapalakas ang kabuhayan ng mga artisan tulad ni Myrna habang nananatiling buhay ang tradisyon ng woodcarving sa Ifugao para sa susunod na henerasyon.