Maybank Women Eco-Weavers (MWEW) Launches Second Weaving Training Centre in the Philippines
Opening of the MWEW ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre in Bukidnon strengthens the community’s fibre-to-fabric ecosystem, marking the Philippines chapter of MWEW’s 10th anniversary journey across ASEAN
Maybank Foundation, the social impact arm of Maybank Group, and ANTHILL Fabric Gallery, together with the Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe, today officially launched the Daraghuyan Bukidnon Balay Hu Paglala Ha Abaka – Maybank Women Eco-Weavers (MWEW) ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre at the Daraghuyan Tribal Housing Village in Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
The new Training Centre, which is the 13th centre established under MWEW across five ASEAN countries and the second in the Philippines, provides a dedicated community space for weaving, skills development, knowledge transfer and production. It also strengthens the connection between the Daraghuyan community’s women weavers and the farmers cultivating the abaca fibre used in their traditional Pinangabol weaving.
Its opening marks the latest chapter of MWEW’s 10th anniversary journey across ASEAN, following the programme’s main regional celebration in Bali, Indonesia in August and its subsequent celebration in Siem Reap, Cambodia in September, held alongside the third MWEW Regional Natural Dye Workshop and the launch of the MWEW Color Silk Natural Dye Gallery.
Taking place during the Philippines’ Indigenous Peoples Month, the launch also celebrates the Daraghuyan community’s cultural heritage and the generations of women who continue to carry its traditional weaving knowledge. Pinangabol is traditionally woven using abaca fibre, with patterns and colours carrying cultural meaning passed down through generations.
Empowering Women Through Weaving
Launched in 2016, MWEW is Maybank Foundation’s regional programme that promotes women’s economic independence while preserving traditional woven textile heritage and strengthening sustainable livelihoods. Working with local partners and weaving communities, the programme supports women with skills development, production and market access, while strengthening the wider ecosystems that sustain their craft, from natural fibre cultivation and natural dyeing to more sustainable and zero-waste practices.
In Bukidnon, this approach takes shape through the Daraghuyan community’s own fibre-to-fabric ecosystem. The area’s suitability for abaca cultivation, together with the presence of abaca farmers and women weavers from the same community, enables MWEW to strengthen the local value chain from fibre cultivation and processing through to weaving and market access.
The new Training Centre builds on these existing strengths by creating a permanent space where experienced weavers can pass their knowledge to new artisans, while supporting the community to strengthen production and pursue wider livelihood and market opportunities.
“The opening of the MWEW ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre marks an important milestone for MWEW in the Philippines. As the 13th Training Centre across five ASEAN countries and the second in the Philippines, this milestone is especially meaningful as we celebrate a decade of the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers Programme, and reflects our continued commitment to creating pathways for women towards greater economic independence while preserving the weaving traditions and knowledge deeply rooted in their communities,” said Izlyn Ramli, Chief Executive Officer of Maybank Foundation and Head of Group Corporate Affairs, Maybank.
“Here in Bukidnon, we are already seeing this commitment take shape. We have supported 20 Daraghuyan women weavers and 25 abaca farmers, alongside the planting of 6,250 abaca plants. By connecting the women weavers with the abaca farmers from the same community, we are strengthening a local fibre-to-fabric ecosystem that builds on the community’s own knowledge and resources, while creating greater opportunities for sustainable livelihoods,” Izlyn added.
Growing MWEW in the Philippines
MWEW expanded to the Philippines in 2025 through its partnership with ANTHILL Fabric Gallery, building on ANTHILL’s longstanding relationships with weaving communities across the country. In Argao, Cebu, MWEW established the programme’s first Training Centre in the Philippines, the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers ANTHILL Weaving Training Centre, which today supports 30 women weavers while advancing weaving skills, production and zero-waste practices.
From Cebu, MWEW expanded to Bukidnon, bringing abaca cultivation alongside weaving to strengthen the connection between the community’s farmers, natural fibre and women weavers. The programme subsequently expanded to the QC-ANTHILL Textile Circularity Hub in Payatas, Quezon City, which engages 20 women weavers and advances textile circularity and zero-waste practices. Most recently, MWEW extended its reach to Abra, where 40 women weavers have been engaged and are being prepared for training.
Together, these communities reflect MWEW’s growing footprint in the Philippines and how the programme continues to adapt to the distinct materials, weaving traditions and opportunities within each community. Across MWEW communities in the Philippines, participating women weavers have recorded a 176% average increase in monthly income, from approximately US$49 to US$135 per month.
Rooted in Local Partnership
ANTHILL Fabric Gallery has worked with the Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe since 2011, supporting the community’s women artisans and traditional weaving practices. This longstanding relationship now forms part of the wider MWEW programme in the Philippines.
“Our partnership with Daraghuyan has always been about more than textiles. It is about building a relationship with a community and supporting the people who carry this living tradition,” said Joy Anya Lim, Co-Founder and Managing Director of ANTHILL Fabric Gallery.
“The opening of this Training Centre represents an important next chapter. It gives the weavers a dedicated space to continue practising their craft, strengthen production and create new opportunities, while our work with the abaca farmers connects the fibre that comes from the land to the fabric created on the loom,” she added.
Felino James Marcelo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Maybank Philippines Inc. said “We are proud to support this milestone for the Daraghuyan community and to see MWEW continue to grow in the Philippines. This progress reflects the strength of local collaboration between the community, Maybank Foundation, ANTHILL, the Malaybalay City Government and City Agriculture Office, and the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), creating greater opportunities for the women weavers and abaca farmers while helping preserve a cultural tradition deeply rooted in the community.”
The launch brings together women weavers, abaca farmers, tribal leaders and local partners, with community rituals led by Bae Inatlawan, Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribal Leader, recognition of newly trained weavers and farmers, and the official unveiling of the Training Centre.
“For our community, weaving carries the knowledge and stories of our people. This centre gives our women a place where that knowledge can continue to be practised and shared with the next generation, while strengthening the connection between our land, our abaca and our weaving tradition,” said Bae Inatlawan.
A Decade of Growing Together Across ASEAN
Since its launch in 2016, MWEW has grown into a regional economic ecosystem spanning Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines. As of 30 June 2026, it has trained 2,617 women weavers and supported 3,024 farmers, with USD5.6 million (RM22.9 million) invested across traditional weaving, natural fibre cultivation, natural dyeing, skills development, sustainable production and market access.
The programme has also supported the cultivation of more than 785,000 mulberry trees and over 40,000 cotton bushes, alongside the growing development of abaca cultivation in the Philippines, strengthening the natural fibre ecosystems that underpin traditional weaving communities across ASEAN.
MWEW also advances Maybank Group’s ROAR30 sustainability ambitions by supporting inclusive economic participation, sustainable livelihoods and resilient communities while preserving ASEAN’s cultural heritage. The opening of the Bukidnon Training Centre builds on this decade-long journey, bringing MWEW’s regional experience together with the knowledge, resources and weaving traditions of the Daraghuyan community.
Guests and community members at the newly launched Maybank Women Eco Weavers ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre in Bukidnon.
A new milestone for Maybank Women Eco Weavers in the Philippines. The official launch of the MWEW ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre in Bukidnon brought together the Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe, Maybank Foundation, ANTHILL Fabric Gallery and local partners to celebrate a shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage and strengthening community livelihoods.
The launch of the MWEW ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre in Bukidnon marks the programme’s 13th training centre across five ASEAN countries and its second in the Philippines. To date, MWEW has supported 20 women weavers and 25 abaca farmers in the Daraghuyan community, alongside the planting of 6,250 abaca plants. By bringing fibre cultivation and weaving closer together, the centre strengthens the local value chain while creating a foundation for sustainable livelihoods and the preservation of Pinangabol weaving.
Standing in the back row from left; Emma Lim-Sandrino, Board of Directors, ANTHILL Fabric Gallery (with glasses and in black shirt), Marven Jan Nadela, Senior Tourism Operations Officer, Malaybalay City Tourism Office (with glasses in black jacket); Atty. Anna Marie R. Bergado, City Administrator, Malaybalay City (in light pink jacket); Anya Joy Lim, Princess Ant/Co-Founder of ANTHILL Fabrics Gallery (in beige t-shirt); Noor Fadzlin Ariffin, Head, Community Empowerment, Maybank Foundation (in army green shirt); Bae Inatlawan Adelina Tarino, Tribal Leader, Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe (in tribal costume and white headscarf); Johann Nawawi, Architect Benefactor of MWEW Programme (with glasses in army green shirt); Edelyn Castro, Head, Corporate Affairs, Maybank Philippines (in army green shirt); Cecille Egnar, Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Officer, Bukidnon Environment & Natural Resources Office (in black jacket); Artificio Lacang, Jr., Visayas-Mindanao Region Head, Maybank Philippines (in army green shirt) and Rochelle Astreid Raymundo, Community Development Programme Consultant, ANTHILL Fabric Gallery (in white jacket).
Standing in the front row with the weavers, third from the left: Maria Easterluna Canoy, Executive Director, Kintanglad Integrated NGOs (in purple shirt and black lace vest); Annie Lim, Queen Ant/Co-Founder, ANTHILL Fabric Gallery (in white shirt); Salome Tarino, Community Manager of Daraghuyan Bukidnon Balay Hu Paglala Ha Abaca (tenth from left in red tribal dress); Amirul Muhammad, Senior Manager, Community Empowerment, Maybank Foundation (in army green shirt and dark green pants); and Jonnalyn Mangga, Trainer/Weaver, Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe (in light pink shirt and denim pants).
Recognition of weavers who completed their training
Weaving heritage, building futures. The launch of the MWEW ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre in Bukidnon celebrated 20 Daraghuyan women weavers who completed their weaving training, recognising their commitment to carrying forward the community’s traditional Pinangabol weaving. Through the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers (MWEW) Programme, Maybank Foundation and ANTHILL Fabric Gallery are supporting these women to strengthen their skills, sustain their cultural heritage and build new livelihood opportunities through their craft. Featuring the women weavers who have completed their training, together with Anya Joy Lim, Princess Ant/Co-Founder of ANTHILL Fabrics Gallery (sixth from the left in beige T-shirt); Salome Tarino, Community Manager of Daraghuyan Bukidnon Balay Hu Paglala Ha Abaca (seventh from left in red tribal dress); Annie Lim, Queen Ant/Co-Founder, ANTHILL Fabric Gallery (fourth from right in white shirt), Bae Inatlawan Adelina Tarino, Tribal Leader, Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe (third from right in red tribal dress and white headscarf); Noor Fadzlin Ariffin, Head, Community Empowerment, Maybank Foundation (second from right in green army shirt); Jonnalyn Mangga, Trainer/Weaver, Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe (first from right in light pink shirt).
Official launch of the training centre
A shared vision, a lasting commitment. The official launch of the MWEW ANTHILL Abaca Weaving Training Centre in Bukidnon brought together the Daraghuyan Bukidnon Tribe, Maybank Foundation, ANTHILL Fabric Gallery and local partners to celebrate a shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage and strengthening community livelihoods. As MWEW marks its 10th anniversary across ASEAN, the new centre represents more than an additional training facility, it is an investment in the people, natural resources and local partnerships that sustain the community’s weaving tradition and create pathways towards greater economic independence.
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