LA PAZ, Abra, Jan. 31(PIA) --The municipality of La Paz in Abra is known for its "abel", a traditionally hand-woven textiles crafted for durability. It is often called home to traditional loom weaving industry in the province.

For four years now, the town celebrates the Abel Festival to showcase the culture of abel industry and its products which have been kept alive by the Lapazenos across generations.

The Abel festival is annexed with the street dancing competitions and ground demonstrations. Various colorful abel cloth designs are worn by participants from the different participating barangays during their cultural dance performances around the town.

La Paz Mayor Menchie Bernos she said that the Abel festival has been celebrated since she was elected as the local chief executive of the municipality.

"It is the One Town, One Product of La Paz and we are eager to promote this not just around the province but also to the whole country," she said.

"It has become the lifestyle of this municipality. Mostly women are involved in this practice and they have their own weaving facilities in their houses so they normally do abel weaving during their free time," Bernos added.

Their indigenous textiles are sold mostly through trade fairs as far as the National Capital Region and Visayas.

The mayor also disclosed that local abel products have also reached overseas like fashion shows in New York with some exhibitors and known designers coming personally to purchase Abel fabrics for their designs.

The mayor shared that abel weavers (agab-abel) of the municipality are encouraging younger generations to practice and master the art of the Abel loom weaving to keep the tradition and culture alive.

In Brgy. Bulbulala, known to be the source of abel products such as clothes, blankets, pillowcases, polo shirts, scarfs, table runners and placemats, children as young as eight years old are practicing and joining the tradition.

Bernos said the local government is in full support to the loom weaving communities of La Paz by sponsoring trainings for them and pushing them to join trade fairs in and outside the Cordillera region.

As the awareness and demand for abel products is getting high, Lapazenos continue to keep the tradition of this old-age industry of panagabel alive. (JDP/CAGT-PIA CAR, Abra)