Gigantic Rocking Chair Takes Center Stage in Nueva Ecija Town Anniversary Celebration

Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija (PNA) — The rocking chair made of locally-harvested rattan vines and undoubtedly the biggest so far produced by hundreds of cottage-industry players in this fourth class municipality, stood tall at the plaza to boast its place as one of the biggest sources of living for the townsfolk here.

Called “budang laking rattan rocking chair,” the chair, at two by three meters, can be seated on by 10 medium-built people.

It is the product of a week of labor of several people led by Antonio Ramos, a rattan creator since 1980 with formal training in the Marcos-era National Cottage Industry Development Authority (Nacida).

Reelected Mayor Ferdinand Abesamis said the chair was featured in connection with the week-long celebration of the municipality’s 165th founding anniversary that culminated Sunday under the Budang Laking Produkto Showcase (BLPS) campaign of the local government which aimed to promote livelihood opportunities among the people.

“The town of Peñaranda is known for making rattan furniture,” Abesamis said, saying that local makers have started producing export quality ones.

“Their product evolves into a high-quality class. Well in fact, they now have orders from abroad,” he said.

BLPS was launched with the “budang habang espasol” (longest espasol) in 2014 and “budang laking putong puti” (giant white rice cake) in 2015.

Budang is the local term for “ubod ng..” or extremely.

The rocking chair was placed, along with several other regular-sized ones, at the public plaza and has been open for photo opportunities to anyone.

“Its message is to give recognition to our workers and to show the whole world that our product can be proud of in terms of durability and excellence,” Abesamis said.

Ramos said orders coming from hotels in Boracay have been coming since their first delivery in one of the Philippines’ premiere tourists destination a few months back.

The order, placed though a certain Bulacan businessman, brought a big boost to their industry, Ramos said.

The training he got from Nacida, he said, has been very relevant and he passes it on to fellow workers these days.

Abesamis said the town has abundant supply of rattan vines even as producers have also learned to plant them. ”

He said the government, in return, conducts intervention to make sure the products are competitive enough. (PNA) LAP/ZST/MEG/PS