El Baúl Collection

29/08/2026

26/08/2026

PEÑARRUBIA, Abra — The municipal government of Peñarrubia is integrating traditional Tingguian weaving into the local senior high school curriculum to preserve the indigenous craft among younger generations.

Under the initiative, Peñarrubia Integrated School, the town’s sole public high school, now offers courses in natural dyeing, hand embroidery, and traditional weaving featuring cultural designs of the Tingguian, or Itneg, people.

To support the program, the municipal government allocated public funds to purchase tillar, or weaving looms, along with threads and raw materials for student use.

"We hope that there will be more of our youth who will take interest in making the culture alive," Mayor Geraldine Balbuena said.

Abra’s textile tradition is distinct within the Cordillera region for its hand embroidery, known locally as kinamay.

The patterns reflect agricultural life and spiritual beliefs, including sinanpagay (rice plant motifs), sinantao (human figures), sinankalasag (protective shields), and sinantukak (frogs associated with rain rituals).

The process relies on natural dyes derived from local tree bark and plant leaves rather than synthetic chemicals.

Community elders and local institutions are providing technical support for the educational effort. The Agaid family, which operates the Itneg School of Living Tradition in Barangay Namarabar, continues to teach community members and visitors the traditional techniques.

The revival effort coincides with expanding commercial interest in Tingguian textiles. Local artisan Luis Agaid Jr., a cultural master at the Itneg school, recently produced 1,000 hand-embroidered patches for Japanese retailer Uniqlo's global collection, showcasing kukko geometric motifs that symbolize agricultural productivity.

Town officials noted that formalizing the craft in schools ensures that historical traditions evolve into sustainable livelihoods for future generations, bridging ancestral heritage with contemporary fashion markets.

(Photo courtesy of Provincial Government of Abra)

16/08/2026

𝗔 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻 (𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗲), 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟭, 𝟭𝟵𝟱𝟮.

She and my grandmother, Connie (Concepcion Carino), grew up together in Peñarrubia. As children, they attended the same church, the UCCP Peñarrubia Church of Christ (Disciples), and later taught in the same school, the Peñarrubia Central School.

Anie was the granddaughter of Connie’s first cousin, Manuel Ablan.

On the back of the photograph, Anie wrote to Connie:

“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦,
𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 (𝘮𝘦). 𝘗𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯.
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴,
𝘈𝘯𝘪𝘦”

Anie later became Anesia Atmosfera after her marriage to Bienvenido. She passed away on July 28, 2026.

15/08/2026

14/08/2026

12/08/2026

𝘼 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙚𝙣̃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙪𝙗𝙞𝙖 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡
𝘣𝘺 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯̃𝘰

A primary school was opened in 1903 in Peñarrubia, Abra, then known as Rancheria de Patoc, a community largely composed of Itneg people. It was the first public school established in the area and was known by the people as the “Instituto.”

The first teachers in the school were Ilocano. The American government sent Ilocano teachers because the people were afraid of American teachers. One of the Americans connected with the early education of Peñarrubia was Harry Borgstadt, who later served as Supervising Teacher of the Abra-Tinggian District. His influence was remembered by the people, and one person named Danumen later adopted Borgstad as his first name.

In 1907, Act No. 1801 was passed providing for the construction of schoolhouses, known as the Gabaldon Act, after Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon. The first schoolhouse in Peñarrubia was built with hardwood and other mixed materials and was valued at ₱340. The school on the hill stood as a reminder of the hopes and selfless efforts of the people who worked together to make it a reality.

On March 3, 1911, a boundary survey was made for the school property. The Township of Peñarrubia took steps to have the property registered in its name under Land Registration Case No. 8949 before the Court of Land Registration. The property covered about 24,073 square meters and became the school grounds known to generations of pupils as the “Central.”

The school building was locally known as the “Gabaldon.” It stood at the top of the hill, overlooking the school grounds and athletic track. It had high ceilings, large windows, wide openings, and good ventilation. The year 1917 was reportedly inscribed on the side of the old building and is the oldest known date connected with the structure.

In 1928, by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 3427, the school building was repaired, remodeled, and enlarged at a cost of ₱3,000. About 150 residents helped improve the school grounds by constructing an athletic track and leveling a hilly portion of the site. The area was also used for ground demonstrations and community activities, especially during fiestas.

Other buildings were later added, including the Home Economics Building below the old acacia tree, the Shop Building, and the amphitheater.

Through the years, PCS became an important institution of the municipality. Many of its pupils later became teachers, nurses, lawyers, government employees, and professionals.

During the Second World War, the school building was bombed and damaged. According to local accounts, important school records were saved. After the war, PCS was rebuilt. The Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946 provided assistance for war-damaged properties, while the Philippine War Damage Commission handled claims. The reconstructed school building is believed to have been completed in 1951, although the exact date has not been confirmed.

In 1969, the old school building was again repaired and became the concrete school building remembered by succeeding generations.

The school continued to grow, with additional facilities and activities supported by parents, teachers, former pupils, and community leaders. For generations of pupils, the old building was a familiar part of their childhood, the place where they learned their first lessons, met their teachers and friends, and made memories.

In 2001, Typhoon Feria struck Abra and destroyed the old school building of PCS. The loss was deeply felt by the community. Although the old building was gone, the school continued to serve the community.

By 2015, the school was known as Peñarrubia Integrated School, now serving learners up to Grade 12, with more classrooms and facilities built for its growing population.

Future restoration plans aim to eventually rebuild the old historic building, bringing back an iconic part of the campus and preserving its memory on the hill.

From the Instituto of 1903, to Peñarrubia Central School, and now to Peñarrubia Integrated School, more than a century of education and service has passed.

The buildings have changed, generations of teachers and pupils have come and gone, but the school has remained part of the life and history of the people of Peñarrubia.

Its story continues.

© 𝘌𝘭 𝘉𝘢𝘶́𝘭 𝘥𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯̃𝘰

10/08/2026

Every family has a story worth remembering.

Faces may fade, names may be forgotten, but the stories of those who came before us deserve to live on.

Remember where you came from.